Method and apparatus for vehicle maneuver planning and messaging

ABSTRACT

Techniques are provided which may be implemented using various methods and/or apparatuses in a vehicle to utilize vehicle external sensor data, vehicle internal sensor data, vehicle capabilities and external V2X input to determine, send, receive and utilize V2X information and control data, sent between the vehicle and a road side unit (RSU) to determine intersection access and vehicle behavior when approaching the intersection.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/839,981, filed Apr. 29, 2019, entitled “Method and Apparatus forVehicle Maneuver Planning and Messaging”, which is assigned to theassignee hereof and incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to automotive devices, andmore particularly to methods, messaging and apparatuses for use in orwith an automotive device to facilitate vehicle maneuvering.

2. Information

Self-driving cars enable automated driving, to enhance the safety,efficiency and convenience of vehicular transportation. Path andmaneuver planning for a vehicle to everything (V2X)-capable vehicle,here referred to as the ego vehicle, depends on knowing the capabilitiesand behavior of surrounding vehicles. The capabilities and behavior ofsurrounding vehicles helps determine, for example, safe intervehiclespacing and lane change maneuvering. The capabilities and behavior ofsurrounding vehicles will need to be communicated, for example, throughV2X application-layer standards via a set of Data elements (DEs) forvehicles to exchange capability information. Using these data elementswill enable vehicles to optimize times and distances for inter-vehiclespacing and maneuvers. It is understood that references to vehicle toeverything (V2X) and cellular vehicle to everything (CV2X), as usedherein, may apply to and encompass various communication embodiments andstandards such as, but not limited to, 5G new radio (NR) communicationsstandards, dedicated short-range communications (DSRC), 802.11p, theSurface Vehicle Standard (SVS) from the Society of Automotive Engineers(SAE), the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) standards from theEuropean Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), such as theBasic Safety Message or the Cooperative Awareness Message, and/or othervehicle to vehicle (V2V), cellular vehicle to everything (CV2X) andother vehicle to everything (V2X) communication embodiments as may existor may be defined in the future.

SUMMARY

Some example techniques are presented herein which may be implemented invarious methods and apparatuses in a vehicle to determine, send, receiveand utilize data elements to determine inter-vehicle spacing,intersection priority, lane change behavior and spacing and otherautonomous vehicle behavior.

In an embodiment, a method of vehicle coordination may comprise:receiving, at an ego vehicle, a first message from a first vehicle,wherein the first message comprises an identification data element forthe first vehicle, an autonomous vehicle status data element for thefirst vehicle or a braking distance data element for the first vehicleor a combination thereof; receiving, at the ego vehicle, a secondmessage from a second vehicle, wherein the second message comprises anidentification data element for the second vehicle, an autonomousvehicle status data element for the second vehicle or a braking distancedata element for the second vehicle or a combination thereof;determining a target space based, at least in part, upon a size of theego vehicle, the autonomous vehicle status data element for the firstvehicle, the autonomous vehicle status data element for the secondvehicle, the braking distance data element for the first vehicle, or thebraking distance data element for the second vehicle or a combinationthereof; sending, from the ego vehicle, a third message to the firstvehicle requesting the target space between the first vehicle and thesecond vehicle; sending, from the ego vehicle, a fourth message to thesecond vehicle requesting the target space between the first vehicle andthe second vehicle; receiving at least one response in a fifth messagefrom the first vehicle or in a sixth message from the second vehicle ora combination thereof; and maneuvering the ego vehicle into the targetspace between the first and the second vehicle based upon the at leastone response.

In an embodiment, an ego vehicle, may comprise: one or more wirelesstransceivers; vehicle internal sensors; vehicle external sensors; amemory; and one or more processors, communicatively coupled to the oneor more wireless transceivers, the vehicle internal sensors, the vehicleexternal sensors, and the memory; wherein the one or more processors areconfigured to: receive, at the one or more wireless transceivers, afirst message from a first vehicle, wherein the first message comprisesan identification data element for the first vehicle, an autonomousvehicle status data element for the first vehicle or a braking distancedata element for the first vehicle or a combination thereof; receive, atthe one or more wireless transceivers, a second message from a secondvehicle, wherein the second message comprises an identification dataelement for the second vehicle, an autonomous vehicle status dataelement for the second vehicle or a braking distance data element forthe second vehicle or a combination thereof; determine a target spacebased, at least in part, upon a size of the ego vehicle, the autonomousvehicle status data element for the first vehicle, the autonomousvehicle status data element for the second vehicle, the braking distancedata element for the first vehicle, or the braking distance data elementfor the second vehicle or a combination thereof; send, from the one ormore wireless transceivers, a third message to the first vehiclerequesting the target space between the first vehicle and the secondvehicle; send, from the one or more wireless transceivers, a fourthmessage to the second vehicle requesting the target space between thefirst vehicle and the second vehicle; receive at least one response in afifth message from the first vehicle or in a sixth message from thesecond vehicle or a combination thereof; and maneuver the ego vehicleinto the target space between the first and the second vehicle basedupon the at least one response.

In an embodiment, an ego vehicle, may comprise: means for receiving, atthe ego vehicle, a first message from a first vehicle, wherein the firstmessage comprises an identification data element for the first vehicle,an autonomous vehicle status data element for the first vehicle or abraking distance data element for the first vehicle or a combinationthereof; means for receiving, at the ego vehicle, a second message froma second vehicle, wherein the second message comprises an identificationdata element for the second vehicle, an autonomous vehicle status dataelement for the second vehicle or a braking distance data element forthe second vehicle or a combination thereof; means for determining atarget space based, at least in part, upon a size of the ego vehicle,the autonomous vehicle status data element for the first vehicle, theautonomous vehicle status data element for the second vehicle, thebraking distance data element for the first vehicle, or the brakingdistance data element for the second vehicle or a combination thereof;means for sending, from the ego vehicle, a third message to the firstvehicle requesting the target space between the first vehicle and thesecond vehicle; means for sending, from the ego vehicle, a fourthmessage to the second vehicle requesting the target space between thefirst vehicle and the second vehicle; means for receiving at least oneresponse in a fifth message from the first vehicle or in a sixth messagefrom the second vehicle or a combination thereof; and means formaneuvering the ego vehicle into the target space between the first andthe second vehicle based upon the at least one response.

In an embodiment, a method of vehicle coordination, may comprisereceiving, at an ego vehicle, a first message from a first vehicle,wherein the first message comprises an identification data element forthe first vehicle, an autonomous vehicle status data element for thefirst vehicle or a braking distance data element for the first vehicleor a combination thereof; receiving, at the ego vehicle, a secondmessage from a second vehicle, wherein the second message comprises anidentification data element for the second vehicle, an autonomousvehicle status data element for the second vehicle or a braking distancedata element for the second vehicle or a combination thereof;determining a first target space between the ego vehicle and the firstvehicle based upon the autonomous vehicle status data element for thefirst vehicle, an autonomous vehicle status of the ego vehicle, thebraking distance data element for the first vehicle or a brakingdistance of the ego vehicle or a combination thereof; determining asecond target space between the ego vehicle and the second vehicle basedupon the autonomous vehicle status data element for the second vehicle,the autonomous vehicle status of the ego vehicle, the braking distancedata element for the second vehicle or the braking distance of the egovehicle or a combination thereof; sending, from the ego vehicle, a thirdmessage to the first vehicle requesting the first target space betweenthe first vehicle and the ego vehicle; sending, from the ego vehicle, afourth message to the second vehicle requesting the second target spacebetween the first and the second vehicle; receiving at least oneresponse in a fifth message from the first vehicle or in a sixth messagefrom the second vehicle or a combination thereof; and maneuvering theego vehicle to create or maintain the first target space between the egovehicle and the first vehicle and the second target space between theego vehicle and the second vehicle, based on the received at least oneresponse.

In an embodiment, an ego vehicle may comprise: one or more wirelesstransceivers; vehicle internal sensors; vehicle external sensors; amemory; and one or more processors, communicatively coupled to the oneor more wireless transceivers, the vehicle internal sensors, the vehicleexternal sensors, and the memory; wherein the one or more processors areconfigured to: receive, at the one or more wireless transceivers, afirst message from a first vehicle, wherein the first message comprisesan identification data element for the first vehicle, an autonomousvehicle status data element for the first vehicle or a braking distancedata element for the first vehicle or a combination thereof; receive, atthe one or more wireless transceivers, a second message from a secondvehicle, wherein the second message comprises an identification dataelement for the second vehicle, an autonomous vehicle status dataelement for the second vehicle or a braking distance data element forthe second vehicle or a combination thereof; determine a first targetspace between the ego vehicle and the first vehicle based upon theautonomous vehicle status data element for the first vehicle, theautonomous vehicle status of the ego vehicle, the braking distance dataelement for the first vehicle or a braking distance of the ego vehicleor a combination thereof; determine a second target space between theego vehicle and the second vehicle based upon the autonomous vehiclestatus data element for the second vehicle, the autonomous vehiclestatus of the ego vehicle, the braking distance data element for thesecond vehicle or the braking distance of the ego vehicle or acombination thereof; send, from the one or more wireless transceivers, athird message to the first vehicle requesting the first target spacebetween the first vehicle and the ego vehicle; send, from the one ormore wireless transceivers, a fourth message to the second vehiclerequesting the second target space between the first and the secondvehicle; receive, at the one or more wireless transceivers, an at leastone response in a fifth message from the first vehicle or in a sixthmessage from the second vehicle or a combination thereof; and maneuverthe ego vehicle to create or maintain the first target space between theego vehicle and the first vehicle and the second target space betweenthe ego vehicle and the second vehicle, based on the received at leastone response

In an embodiment, an ego vehicle may comprise: means for receiving, atthe ego vehicle, a first message from a first vehicle, wherein the firstmessage comprises an identification data element for the first vehicle,an autonomous vehicle status data element for the first vehicle or abraking distance data element for the first vehicle or a combinationthereof; means for receiving, at the ego vehicle, a second message froma second vehicle, wherein the second message comprises an identificationdata element for the second vehicle, an autonomous vehicle status dataelement for the second vehicle or a braking distance data element forthe second vehicle or a combination thereof; means for determining afirst target space between the ego vehicle and the first vehicle basedupon the autonomous vehicle status data element for the first vehicle,an autonomous vehicle status of the ego vehicle, the braking distancedata element for the first vehicle or a braking distance of the egovehicle or a combination thereof; means for determining a second targetspace between the ego vehicle and the second vehicle based upon theautonomous vehicle status data element for the second vehicle, theautonomous vehicle status of the ego vehicle, the braking distance dataelement for the second vehicle or the braking distance of the egovehicle or a combination thereof; means for sending, from the egovehicle, a third message to the first vehicle requesting the firsttarget space between the first vehicle and the ego vehicle; means forsending, from the ego vehicle, a fourth message to the second vehiclerequesting the second target space between the first and the secondvehicle; means for receiving, at the ego vehicle, at least one responsein a fifth message from the first vehicle or in a sixth message from thesecond vehicle or a combination thereof; and means for, maneuvering theego vehicle to create or maintain the first target space between the egovehicle and the first vehicle and the second target space between theego vehicle and the second vehicle, based on the received at least oneresponse.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Non-limiting and non-exhaustive aspects are described with reference tothe following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to likeparts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified.

FIG. 1 is a device diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment fordetermination and communication of a V2X capability data element valuebased on vehicle internal and external sensors, vehicle capabilities andexternal V2X inputs.

FIG. 2 is a device diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment fordetermination and communication of vehicle stopping distance based onvehicle internal and external sensors, vehicle capabilities and externalV2X inputs.

FIG. 3a and FIG. 3b illustrate an exemplary procedure for lane changewith autonomous vehicles.

FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b illustrate an exemplary procedure for lane changewith non-autonomous vehicles.

FIG. 5a and FIG. 5b illustrate an exemplary procedure for lane changefor a vehicle that turns autonomous mode off.

FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b illustrate an exemplary procedure for determiningand advertising stopping distance for vehicle platooning.

FIG. 7a and FIG. 7b illustrate an exemplary procedure for vehicledetermining stopping distance at an intersection and advertisingmaneuvers.

FIG. 8a and FIG. 8b illustrate an exemplary procedure for determiningvehicle behavior at an intersection in the presence of environmentalconditions such as a surface water hazard.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary system level embodiment for an egovehicle.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary physical embodiment for an ego vehicle.

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary system level embodiment for an egovehicle performing V2X Ego Vehicle sensing, prediction, planning andexecution.

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary system level embodiment for an egovehicle performing V2X Ego Vehicle sensing, prediction, planning andexecution using capability data elements.

FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B illustrate exchanging vehicle autonomouscapability messaging enabling closer inter-vehicle spacing.

FIG. 14 illustrates exchanging vehicle autonomous capability messagingenabling closer inter-vehicle spacing.

FIG. 15A and FIG. 15B illustrate exchanging vehicle non-autonomouscapability messaging to enable safe inter-vehicle spacing.

FIG. 16 illustrates exchanging vehicle non-autonomous capabilitymessaging to enable safe inter-vehicle spacing.

FIG. 17 illustrates exchanging vehicle-advertised stopping distance todetermine platoon inter-vehicle spacing.

FIG. 18 illustrates exchanging vehicle-advertised stopping distance todetermine platoon inter-vehicle spacing.

FIG. 19A and FIG. 19B illustrate exchanging stopping distanceinformation to enable surrounding vehicles to stop so that an emergencyvehicle may traverse an intersection.

FIG. 20 illustrates exchanging stopping distance information to enablesurrounding vehicles to stop so that an emergency vehicle may traversean intersection.

FIG. 21A and FIG. 21B illustrate exchanging stopping distanceinformation to enable surrounding vehicles, capable of stopping, to stopwhile an emergency vehicle may slow before passing an intersection toenable surrounding vehicles, incapable of stopping, to pass through theintersection prior to the emergency vehicle.

FIG. 22 illustrates exchanging stopping distance information to enablesurrounding vehicles, capable of stopping, to stop while an emergencyvehicle may slow before passing an intersection to enable surroundingvehicles, incapable of stopping, to pass through the intersection priorto the emergency vehicle.

FIG. 23, illustrates a method of vehicle communication for lane change.

FIG. 24 illustrates a method of vehicle communication for requestingspacing between a vehicle and adjacent vehicles.

FIG. 25 illustrates a method of vehicle communication with a roadsideunit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Some example techniques are presented herein which may be implemented invarious methods, means and apparatuses in a vehicle. Example techniquespresented herein address various methods and apparatuses in a vehicle toprovide for or otherwise support the determination and use of vehicle toeverything (V2X) data elements. Example techniques described herein maygenerally apply to the V2X capability data elements (DEs) describingV2X-enabled vehicle capabilities, not currently defined in V2Xapplication-layer standards, including autonomous or non-autonomousdriving, stopping distance, acceleration, turning radius at currentspeed and/or a measure of maneuverability at current speed. These DEscan be applied to V2X messages, for example, such as those defined inthe Surface Vehicle Standard (SVS) from the Society of AutomotiveEngineers (SAE) or and those defined in the Intelligent Transport System(ITS) standards from the European Telecommunications Standards Institute(ETSI), such as the Basic Safety Message or the Cooperative AwarenessMessage. Example techniques and embodiments are provided for determiningand providing these data elements. In an embodiment, the vehicle is ableto dynamically update or adjust the value of the capability dataelements using vehicle sensor data relating to sensed static or dynamicconditions and using external V2X inputs, such as data elements fromother vehicles, to determine internal vehicle status, behavior andexternal environmental conditions as well as to provide up to date dataelements over the air (OTA) to nearby vehicles.

In an embodiment, some example V2X data elements may include whether thevehicle is driven autonomously or non-autonomously (e.g., based onvehicle status as stored in memory or determined upon request), vehiclestopping distance, vehicle acceleration, and vehicle turning radius atcurrent speed and/or a measure of maneuverability at current speed. Inan embodiment, the V2X data element describing whether the vehicle isdriven autonomously or non-autonomously may be pre-determined based oncar capabilities and particularly whether a car is capable of autonomousdriving. However, for autonomous driving capable vehicles, theautonomous driving capability may be disabled for a manual driving mode.In some embodiments, the autonomous driving capability may be manuallydisabled by the driver of a vehicle, either by turning off autonomousdriving mode or by taking a driving related action such as adjusting thesteering, applying acceleration or applying braking. In someembodiments, the autonomous driving mode may be disabled by the vehiclewhen it encounters a situation it is not well equipped to drive in; inan embodiment, the manual mode switch could be accompanied withnotification to the driver that autonomous driving mode may or should beterminated and may, in some embodiments, also require acknowledgement bythe driver that the driver is able to take control of the vehicle beforethe transition out of autonomous mode is initiated. The data element maycomprise, for example, a vehicle status of autonomous mode or a vehiclestatus of manual mode (or other non-autonomous mode). A data element maybe utilized to describe details regarding autonomous mode beingterminated; for example, comprising whether autonomous mode was manuallycancelled by the driver, or automatically terminated due to adverseconditions or other reason for vehicle inability to self-drive inautonomous mode.

In an embodiment, vehicle stopping distance may be estimated based onpre-determined factory specifications and/or test data that are storedin memory in the vehicle, such as non-volatile RAM/ROM or hard drive. Inan embodiment, vehicle stopping distance may be estimated based oninternal and external sensor measurements, vehicle capabilities andexternal V2X input. In an embodiment, vehicle stopping distance may beestimated based on both pre-determined factory specifications and/ortest data and a combination of pre-determined vehicle specifications andinternal and external sensor measurements, vehicle capabilities and/orexternal V2X input.

In an embodiment, vehicle acceleration may be estimated based onpre-determined factory specifications and/or test data that are storedin memory in the vehicle, such as non-volatile RAM/ROM or hard drive. Inan embodiment, vehicle acceleration may be estimated based on internaland external sensor measurements, vehicle capabilities and external V2Xinput. In an embodiment, vehicle acceleration may be estimated based onboth pre-determined factory specifications and/or test data and acombination of pre-determined vehicle specifications and internal andexternal sensor measurements, vehicle capabilities and/or external V2Xinput.

In an embodiment, vehicle turning radius at current speed and/or ameasure of maneuverability at current speed may be estimated based onpre-determined factory specifications and/or test data that are storedin memory in the vehicle, such as non-volatile RAM/ROM or hard drive. Inan embodiment, vehicle turning radius at current speed and/or a measureof maneuverability at current speed may be estimated based on internaland external sensor measurements, vehicle capabilities and external V2Xinput. In an embodiment, vehicle turning radius at current speed and/ora measure of maneuverability at current speed may be estimated based onboth pre-determined factory specifications and/or test data and acombination of pre-determined vehicle specifications and internal andexternal sensor measurements, vehicle capabilities and/or external V2Xinput.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system and means for implementing the variousmethods, apparatus and techniques described in the figures and textherein. In an embodiment, the vehicle may contain various vehicleexternal sensors (100) such as cameras 935, LIDAR 950, Radar 953, rainand weather sensors 945, GNSS receivers 970, and as well as dataprovided from a WAN or other communications network via wirelesstransceiver(s) 930 such as map data and weather conditions. Measurementdata from the various vehicle external sensors 100 and input sourcessuch as cameras 935, LIDAR 950, radar 953, rain and weather sensors 945,GNSS receivers 970, and map data may be utilized, in an embodiment, todetermine data elements that may be shared between the subject (ego)vehicle and other vehicles and/or with other network-connected devices.

In a vehicle, there may be multiple cameras 935. For example, in anembodiment, there may be a camera in the front window assemblyassociated with the rear-view mirror, a camera in the front bumper, acamera in both external rear view side mirrors (connected to the frontpassenger doors), and in the rear trunk assembly and/or the rear bumper,which in some embodiments will present a full 360-degree viewsurrounding the car and/or near and far points of view. One or morecameras may be present in various vehicle embodiments. Cameras 935 maybe utilized to determine and verify distance between the vehicle andexternal objects, for example, to determine lane change and stoppinglocations. The cameras may also be utilized to determine weather androad conditions such as determining or verifying that the road is wet,based on reflectivity of the road surface. This data may be used aloneor combined with wheel sensor data, such as from traction controlsensors, accelerometers and/or gyros to determine, for example, theslickness of the road surface, which may be utilized to increase theestimated stopping distance. Further determination may be made relativeto water and/or ice on the road surface, the quality or type of roadsurface (asphalt, concrete, dirt or gravel), also using a combination ofwheel and traction control sensors and camera data. In variousembodiments, cameras may also be utilized to determine weatherconditions, day versus night, and other external conditions.

LIDAR 950 may be implemented in a central roof-mounted unit or LIDAR 950may be implemented utilizing multiple smaller units using, for example,solid state LIDAR 950 sensors, and oriented in particular directions.LIDAR 950 may be utilized to determine distance between the vehicle andexternal objects can may also be used in combination with other sensorssuch as GNSS receiver 970 or other location sensors, camera, wheeltick/distance sensors, and other location and distance related sensorsto measure and/or verify stopping distance and/or to measure and/orcalibrate stopping response relative to applied braking effort. TheLIDAR 950 measurements may also be utilized in combination with tirepressure sensors, brake pad sensors and other tire-related sensors topredict and/or adjust stopping distance estimates and/or brakingperformance characteristics; for example, relative to a nominallydefined braking distance, based on pre-defined brake pressurecharacteristics, LIDAR 950 may be utilized to measure actual in siturelationships between braking effort, tire pressure and actual stoppingperformance, which would be surface and weather dependent such thatbraking distance may be increased by bad weather wet or icy roads and/ordifferent road surfaces.

Tire pressure, as may be measured by various wheel sensors 1012, orother sensors 945, impacts stopping distance and acceleration. Tirepressure impacts the amount of tire surface in contact with the road orother driving surface, which impacts stopping distance, acceleration andhandling as well as effort required to maneuver the car. Tire pressurealso impacts tire wear and length of tread life. For example, anoverinflated tire may demonstrate significant increase in stoppingdistance, e.g., a 20% increase in tire pressure may result in as much as20% increase in stopping distance, depending on the tire, the tread, theactual pressure and the road surface. On the other hand, a tireunderinflated by 20% may demonstrate minor to no decrease in stoppingdistance, in spite of increased tread road contact, possibly due to theimpact of less force per applied surface as the tire surface is appliedto the road surface. Because the actual interaction of the tire surfacewith the road surface will vary depending on tire pressure, environmentfactors such as temperature, road composition and other factors, LIDAR950, Radar 953, GNSS 970, inter-object signal-based measurements (e.g.,signal strength or signal timing based such as RTT or TOA) or otherdistance measuring sensors may be used to determine the currentacceleration and braking performance through the observation of realtime impacts to acceleration and deceleration through the application ofbrakes. Furthermore, selection of different braking and/or accelerationmethodologies most appropriate for the weather, environmental and roadconditions may also be determined through real time monitoring, bothduring actual traffic related acceleration and braking and, ifnecessary, through test acceleration and braking to determine currentparameters, using LIDAR 950, radar 953, GNSS, and/or RTT, TOA, RSSI orother signal based measurements, for example using wireless transceivers930 based on inter-vehicular messaging signals.

In an embodiment, vehicle turning radius at current speed and/or ameasure of maneuverability at current speed will be dependent on thespeed, turning radius increasing and maneuverability decreasing withspeed. Vehicle turning radius at current speed and/or a measure ofmaneuverability at current speed is also affected by road surfaceconditions; (e.g., slickness, increases turning radius and decreasesmaneuverability at current speed. Increases in road surface tractiondecrease turning radius at current speed and increase maneuverability atcurrent speed; decreases in road surface traction do the opposite.Increased tire inflation decreases the tire surface in contact with theroad, reducing traction, and thereby increases vehicle turning radius atcurrent speed and reduces maneuverability at current speed. Sufficienttire tread increases road traction and therefore decreases turningradius at current speed and increases maneuverability at current speed.Increased vehicular weight increases turning radius at current speed anddecreases maneuverability at current speed. Uneven load distributionincreases turning radius at current speed and decreases maneuverabilityat current speed. Vehicle turning radius at current speed and a measureof maneuverability at current speed may be determined as a function ofsome or all of these variables and/or may be monitored real timerelative to current conditions utilizing the external and internalsensors (for example, to monitor loss of tire traction and tire slippagerelative to the road surface and/or relative to the other tires).

In an embodiment, Radar 953 may be implemented in fender/bumper-mountedassemblies 1108, where the fenders/bumpers are composed of non-metallicsubstances such as plastic or fiberglass, which provide goodfront-facing coverage for radar signals and good signal penetration ofthe fender in the forward direction. Additional radar assemblies 953 maybe added for rear coverage via the rear bumper. In an embodiment, radar953 may be implemented in other front-facing manner embedding orattaching the antenna into/onto, for example, the windshield. Theassemblies are typically shielded from the environment by plastic, suchas the plastic bumper or other radar-transparent substance. Some vehicleembodiments may also have rear facing radar. As with LIDAR, radar-baseddistance measurements relative to objects at known or fixed locationscan be utilized, in an embodiment to determine performancecharacteristics of the vehicle such as braking performance relative toapplied pressure, and acceleration versus particular throttle profiles.Radar may be utilized in combination with or in place of LIDAR 950relative to distance determination for braking calibration andacceleration calibration and/or determination of braking andacceleration distances for particular speeds. For example, in thepresence of snow, fog, and rain, or other visually obscuring conditions,radar may be substituted for or complement LIDAR 950 and/or camera-basedmethods.

A measure of braking performance may be determined by a ratio ofdistance traveled over elapsed time as a particular braking profile orpressure is applied. Another measure of braking performance includesdetermining and/or estimating stopping distance from current speed tozero velocity. The distance required to stop from current speed may bedetermined through various means, using distance measurements fromvarious systems such as LIDAR, radar, wheel rotations, and/or GNSS. Evenif a full stop is not measured, the distance traveled by the vehicle asthe brake is applied to slow down the vehicle may be utilized toestimate and/or scale up or down the estimated stopping distance atcurrent speed. In some embodiments, an extra margin may be applied tothe estimated stopping distance at current speed to provide for safetymargin.

Redundant and/or complementary means of measuring location and distancemay be particularly useful in determining braking performance on wet oricy roads, in weather situations where visual methods such as camera areimpaired, non-visual sensor systems such as radar and wheel rotationsmay be utilized to provide distance estimates. As discussed, brakingperformance and stopping distance at current speed may be estimated bymeasuring distance and velocity impact of various applications ofbraking, both in pressure and in frequency, and may be utilized toestimate both adequate braking distances as well as optimizing brakingactuator application strategies for the conditions. Fixed objects orobjects of known location may be utilized as points of reference and maycomprise vehicles of known location, road markers, signs, trees,buildings and other reference objects that are visible to the sensorsystems. The vehicle may initiate test braking and/or acceleration tocharacterize the surface and or the braking/acceleration performanceand/or to optimize braking strategy and/or steering strategy as well asto determine adequate braking distance and determining drivingstrategies.

Camera 935 and LIDAR 950 and/or sensor-based measurements such asaccelerometers and gyro measurements may be utilized to determine andcharacterize maneuvering performance such as the amount of turning atany given speed achieved through a known application of force or a knownextent of wheel rotation through the steering system. As with brakingand acceleration, maneuvering performance is also dependent on theconditions including impacts such as weather, road surface, road and/orambient temperature, as well as tire tread, tire pressure and othervehicular factors. The characterized performance of the vehicle relativeto the current conditions may be utilized to determine vehicularperformance parameters such as braking performance and stopping distanceat current speed, acceleration, and turn radius and/or maneuverabilityat current speed. These parameters may be used to determine safeinter-vehicle spacing relative to acceleration, braking and maneuvering.In addition, when determining inter-car spacing, the performance of theadjacent and nearby vehicles may also be utilized so that, a vehiclewith longer braking distance (e.g., a truck) following a vehicle with ashorter braking distance (e.g., a motorcycle) adds additional brakingdistance to account for the forward vehicle's better performancerelative to the ego vehicle to avoid a collision if the forward vehicleslows faster than the following vehicle. Similarly, a vehicle withshorter braking distance following a vehicle with a longer brakingdistance could, at least in theory, take advantage of the positiveperformance delta to enable closer vehicle spacing, for example, tooptimize overall vehicle spacing and traffic flow.

Rain, light and weather sensors, and various other sensors 945 may alsobe present in some vehicles and, in some embodiments, are part of thedash and/or front window assembly or under hood assembly. Furtherweather-related information may also be received from outside sourcessuch as other vehicles, roadside weather relays and via dataconnections, such as 4G and 5G data connections, to weather and roadsidecondition monitoring and information delivery services. Weather-relatedsensors may also be useful in controlling the weighting and/or use ofvarious sensor measurements. For example, visual-based measurements fromthe camera may be down-weighted relative to radar measurements in darkconditions. Both LIDAR 950 and camera measurements may be down weightedor even ignored in situations where visual measurements are obscuredsuch as in extreme weather such as heavy rain, dense snow and/or hail ordense fog in favor of less impacted system on the vehicle such as radar.

In an embodiment, tire traction sensors such as anti-lock, tractioncontrol and all-wheel drive traction control related sensor systems 945may be utilized, in addition to their use for traction control,anti-lock braking and all-wheel drive systems, to estimate road surfaceconditions which may be used, at least in part, to estimate brakingdistance or modify nominal braking distance estimates. In an embodiment,empirically derived or other braking estimates may be increased based onestimates of road slickness. Therefore, road surface conditions thatresult in more tire slippage, as measured by the traction control orother tire systems, may increase the braking distance estimate more thanroad surface conditions that result in little or no tire slippage. In anembodiment, the estimates of road slippage may be measured and mayincrease the braking distance estimates proportional to the amount ofroad slippage (loss of tire traction). In an embodiment, the estimatesmay be categorized as being below or above a threshold for tireslippage, which may impact the braking estimate by a pre-determinedamount.

GNSS 970 is typically implemented in a roof mounted antenna assemblysuch as in the shark's fin antenna assembly 1002 on the rear of thevehicle roof. Particularly in open sky conditions, GNSS may be used todetermine absolute and relative location as well as velocity (forexample, using doppler measurements or by using successive location andtime measurements) and also to determine change in velocity (such as viachanges in doppler over time based on successive measured signals fromthe same GNSS satellite(s)). Relative locations may be determined viadifferences between successive absolute locations via trilateration tothe GNSS constellation and/or by comparing changes in doppler and/orphase offset of GNSS signals at successive times/locations. Particularlyin open sky conditions, GNSS-based relative location and velocitymeasurements may be sufficient to characterize vehicle capabilities suchas braking performance and acceleration relative to particular roadconditions and/or car status (tire inflation, brake pad wear, fluidstatus, and motion status such as current velocity and/or heading, yaw).Doppler-based velocity measurements can be determined over time andcorrelated against, for example, braking or acceleration parameters suchas braking force applied, braking application pattern, fuel or energysupplied, etc. to determine and/or profile braking and accelerationperformance for particular conditions, both intrinsic to the vehicle(such as brake pad thickness, pressure applied, tire inflation) andextrinsic to the vehicle (such as road conditions, weather conditions,etc.). In an embodiment, doppler-based velocity measurements anddoppler-based delta velocity measurements may be utilized tocharacterize actual acceleration and braking performance of the vehicle,either independently or in conjunction with other sensor systems such asradar, LIDAR 950 and camera-based systems as well as drive train-basedsystems such as wheel rotations and steering angle, accelerometers andgyros.

Map data may be stored locally in memory 960 such as flash, RAM, ROM,disc drive or other memory devices and/or map data may be obtained inbatch or real time and/or updated wirelessly from a networked mapdatabase that is accessed over wireless data networks, for example,using wireless transceiver 930. The map data may be combined with sensordata and used to record map meta data such as note changes in parametersand conditions based on map location. This map metadata information maybe shared between vehicles to enable more accurate and earlierprediction of upcoming vehicle performance parameters and externalconditions at any given location and/or shared with map informationservers and/or crowdsourcing servers.

In an embodiment, the vehicle 1000 will determine capability values as afunction of the vehicle external sensors 100 (such as camera(s), LIDAR,radar, rain, weather, GNSS and Map data), the vehicle internal sensors110 (such as tire pressure sensors, brake pad and brake status sensors,speed and heading, and yaw), vehicle capabilities 120 (such asstopping/braking performance, and acceleration), and/or external V2XInput 130 (such as external vehicle messaging and infrastructure (RSU)messaging). The capability value(s) may be determined 140 as a functionof the inputs, and the determined capability value(s) may be used toupdate V2X capability data elements 150. Steps 140 and 150 may beperformed, in some embodiments utilizing a processor 910 and/or a DSP920 and memory 960 and/or various combinations thereof, configured toperform steps 140 and 150 utilizing inputs from vehicle external sensors100, vehicle internal sensors 110, vehicle capabilities 120 and/orexternal V2X input 130 or various combinations thereof. The capabilitydata elements may be shared with other vehicles or systems, for examplein some embodiments using step 160, V2X inter-vehicle communication orother modes of vehicle to vehicle or vehicle to network communications.It is understood that this is an exemplary embodiment and that thesensor types and capabilities may vary between different vehicles.

As shown in FIG. 2, in an embodiment, vehicle 1000, may estimate vehiclestopping distance and provide the estimate as a V2X data element, viaV2X inter-vehicle communication. In an embodiment, the vehicle 1000 willdetermine vehicle stopping distance as a function of the vehicleexternal sensors 200 (such as camera(s), LIDAR, radar, rain, weather,GNSS and Map data), the vehicle internal sensors 210 (such as tirepressure sensors, brake pad and brake status sensors, speed and heading,and yaw), vehicle capabilities 220 (such as stopping/brakingperformance, and acceleration), and/or external V2X Input 230 (such asexternal vehicle messaging and infrastructure (RSU) messaging).Processor 910 and/or DSP 920 and memory 960 may be configured to updatethe V2X capability data element value for vehicle stopping distance. Thevehicle stopping distance may be determined 240 as a function of inputsfrom vehicle external sensors 200, vehicle internal sensors 210, vehiclecapabilities 220 and/or external V2X input 230, and the determinedvehicle stopping distance may be used to update V2X capability dataelements 250. Steps 240 and 250 may be performed, in some embodimentsutilizing a processor 910 and/or a DSP 920 and memory 960 and/or variouscombinations thereof, configured to perform steps 240 and 250 utilizingvarious inputs from vehicle external sensors 200, vehicle internalsensors 210, vehicle capabilities 220 and/or external V2X input 230 orvarious combinations thereof. The capability data elements may be sharedwith other vehicles or systems, for example in some embodiments usingstep 260, V2X inter-vehicle communication, or other modes of vehicle tovehicle or vehicle to network communications. It is understood that thisis an exemplary embodiment and that the sensor types and capabilitiesmay vary between different vehicles.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, in an embodiment, vehicle 1000, forexample, a car, truck, motorcycle and/or other motorized vehicle, mayexchange vehicle autonomous capability to enable desired lane changemaneuver with closer vehicle spacing. In FIG. 3A, in an embodiment,vehicle A, 300, intends to do a lane change to the right, from lane 3 tolane 2. The vehicles in lane 2, 305A, 305B and 305C, advertise theirautonomous driving capability. In an embodiment, each of the lane 2vehicles (autonomous) transmit a basic safety message (BSM) including adata element delineating that the respective vehicle is autonomouslydriven. In an embodiment, equivalent messaging may also be achievedusing ETSI cooperative awareness messages (CAM) including a data elementdelineating that the respective vehicle is autonomously driven. VehicleA, 300, receives messages from the vehicles in lane 2, 305A, 305B and305C including a data element delineating that the respective vehicle isautonomously driven. In FIG. 3B, vehicle A, 300, performs a lane changefrom lane 3 to lane 2, signaling to the cars in lane 2, 305A, 305B and305C, to request and/or announce a pending lane change and subsequentlyperforming a lane change from lane 3 to lane 2 inserting between cars315A and 315B with reduced inter-car spacing based on the announcedautonomous capability of cars 315A and 315B than if cars 315A and 315Bwere non-autonomous.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, in an embodiment, vehicle 1000, forexample, a car, truck, motorcycle and/or other motorized vehicle, mayreceive (or infer) vehicle non-autonomous capability messages and/orinformation to enable a desired lane change maneuver with wider vehiclespacing than would be utilized with autonomous vehicles, such as 305A,305B and 305C in FIGS. 3A and 3B. In FIG. 4A, in an embodiment, vehicleA, 400, intends to do a lane change to the left, from lane 3 to lane 4.The vehicles in lane 4, 410A, 410B and 410C, advertise theirnon-autonomous driving capability. In an embodiment, each of the lane 4vehicles (non-autonomously driven), 410A, 410B and 410C, transmit abasic safety message (BSM) including a data element delineating that therespective vehicle is non-autonomously driven. In an embodiment,equivalent messaging may also be achieved using ETSI cooperativeawareness messages (CAM) including a data element delineating that therespective vehicle is non-autonomously driven. Vehicle A, 400, receivesmessages from the vehicles in lane 4, 410A, 410B and 410C, including adata element delineating that the respective vehicle is non-autonomouslydriven. In FIG. 4B, vehicle A, 400, negotiates and executes a lanechange from lane 3 to lane 4, signaling to the vehicles in lane 4, 410A,410B and 410C, to request and/or announce the pending lane change andsubsequently performing a lane change from lane 3 to lane 4 insertingbetween cars 410A, 410B with increased inter-car spacing based on theannounced non-autonomous capability of cars 410A, 410B versus theinter-car spacing that would be utilized if cars 410A, 410B wereannounced autonomous. In an embodiment, detected but non-responsive carsthat do not provide the BSM and/or CAM messaging responses and/oradvertisements, may be assumed to be non-autonomous.

As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, in an embodiment, vehicle 1000, forexample, a car, truck, motorcycle and/or other motorized vehicle, mayreceive vehicle autonomous capability messages followed by vehiclenon-autonomous capability messages for a car in a target lane into whichvehicle A, 500, is targeting a lane change into, causing vehicle A, 500,to defer or re-plan the lane change until a safe lane-change spacing inavailable. In FIG. 5A, in an embodiment, vehicle A, 500, intends to do alane change to the right, from lane 3 to lane 2. The vehicles in lane 2,505A, 505B and 505C, advertise their autonomous driving capability. Inan embodiment, each of the lane 2 vehicles (autonomously driven), 505A,505B and 505C, transmit a basic safety message (BSM) including a dataelement delineating that the respective vehicle is autonomously driven.In an embodiment, equivalent messaging may also be achieved using ETSIcooperative awareness messages (CAM) including a data elementdelineating that the respective vehicle is autonomously driven. VehicleA, 500, receives messages from the vehicles in lane 2, 505A, 505B and505C, including a data element delineating that the respective vehicleis autonomously driven. In FIG. 5B, however, the middle vehicle in lane2, vehicle 505B turns off its autonomous capability or otherwiseswitches to a non-autonomous driving mode and transmits a BSM or CAMmessage changing the autonomous capability field to non-autonomous.Vehicle A, 500, receives the BSM or CAM message with the autonomouscapability field set to non-autonomous and, in response to thenon-autonomous capability of vehicle 505B, defers or re-plans the lanechange to the right. For example, in an embodiment, vehicle A, 500, maywait for appropriate spacing for a non-autonomous lane change to theright or for adjacent autonomous vehicles to negotiate a lane changewith to the right. In an embodiment, detected but non-responsive carsthat do not provide the BSM and/or CAM messaging responses and/oradvertisements, may be assumed to be non-autonomous; for example, invehicle 505B stops transmitting autonomous capability, in an embodiment,vehicle A, 500, may infer that vehicle 505B is not (or is no longer)autonomously driven.

In an embodiment, example data elements for autonomous andnon-autonomous vehicle determination, as would be utilized in a lanechange or a potential lane change may be implemented as follows. SAEdata element definitions may include a new data element comprisingvalues for DE_DriverAutonomous and DE_DriverNonAutonomous. These valuesmay be allocated to existing SAE J2735 Data element,DE_BasicVehicleClass. In this embodiment, it assigns currently unused(reserved) values to represent DriverAutonomous and DriverNonAutonomousdata elements comprising V2X_DriverAutonomous andV2X_DriverNonAutonomous.

In an embodiment, ETSI-ITS data element definitions may include a newdata element comprising values for DE_DriverAutonomous andDE_DriverNonAutonomous. In this embodiment, new values are allocated toexisting ETSI-ITS TS 102 894-2 Common Data Dictionary DE_StationType,assigning currently unused (reserved) values to represent values forAutonomous and Non-Autonomous driving, comprising V2X_DriverAutonomousand V2X_DriverNonAutonomous.

As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, in an embodiment, vehicles 1000, forexample, a car, truck, motorcycle and/or other motorized vehicle, mayadvertise stopping distance, which may be utilized, in an embodiment, todetermine inter-vehicle spacing for platooning, and other purposes suchas for autonomous only vehicle lanes to optimize traffic flow. Theinter-vehicle spacing may vary depending on road conditions such as dryroad, wet road, icy road, snowy road, asphalt road, cement road, dirtroad or gravel road.

In FIG. 6A, in an embodiment, illustrates inter-vehicle spacing with dryroad conditions. Individual vehicles determine stopping distance basedon detected parameters, such as vehicle velocity, detected road and/orweather conditions, inherent braking capability, vehicle internal status(e.g., tire pressure), vehicle driving status such as autonomous ornon-autonomous driving mode. BSM and/or CAM messaging, or otherinter-vehicle messaging is used to advertise stopping distancecapability to nearby cars. Inter-vehicle and/or platoon spacingincorporates advertised stopping distance of each vehicle, either basedon car to car V2X communication and coordination, and/or with theassistance of a platooning server accessed via wireless networkconnections. As illustrated, larger vehicles, such as trucks, which havelonger stopping distances, will maintain a larger intervehicle distancein front of them.

In FIG. 6B, in an embodiment, illustrates inter-vehicle spacing in wetroad conditions. Vehicle-detected road condition (water) results inadvertising increased stopping distance in BSM and/or CAM messaging.Inter-vehicle spacing and/or platoon spacing incorporates largeradvertised stopping distance due to detected road conditions. It isunderstood that other inclement conditions that result in longerstopping distances, such as greasy or low traction roads, icy roads,snow-covered roads, and dirt or gravel roads will similarly result inadvertising increased stopping distance in BSM and/or CAM messaging.

As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, in an embodiment, vehicles 1000, forexample, a car, truck, motorcycle and/or other motorized vehicle, mayadvertise stopping distance, which may be utilized, in an embodiment, todetermine that non-emergency vehicles are able to and will stop at anintersection for a passing emergency vehicle.

In FIG. 7A, in an embodiment, illustrates vehicles approaching anintersection, with an emergency vehicle approaching the sameintersection. As it approaches the intersection, emergency vehicle Abroadcasts its desired maneuver, to proceed through the intersection.Non-emergency vehicle B and vehicle C each determine their respectivestopping distance using their respective location & distance tointersection, speed & heading, detected road conditions, and/orstopping/braking capability or combination thereof, which may, in anembodiment, be utilized to determine if each vehicle can stop prior tothe intersection. If present, infrastructure entities (e.g., roadsideunits (RSU)) may augment vehicles' knowledge of environment (weather,road conditions, vulnerable road users (VRUs), etc.). In an embodiment,the calculated stopping distance may be utilized to update the BSMand/or CAM messaging data element value for stopping distance.

In FIG. 7B, in an embodiment, illustrates vehicle B and vehicle Cstopping at the intersection, to allow emergency vehicle A to passthrough the intersection. In an embodiment, emergency vehicle Anegotiates with vehicle B, and vehicle C. Vehicle B, and vehicle Ctransmit Stopping Distance and confirm ability to stop at theintersection. Vehicle B and vehicle C stop at the intersection. Then,vehicle A proceeds through the intersection. In an embodiment, if eithervehicle B or vehicle C could not stop, vehicle A, would either stop oradjust velocity/speed accordingly to avoid the vehicle that could notstop, as illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B.

As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, in an embodiment, vehicles 1000, forexample, a car, truck, motorcycle and/or other motorized vehicle, mayadvertise stopping distance, which may be utilized, in an embodiment, todetermine that non-emergency vehicles are or are not able to stop at anintersection for a passing emergency vehicle.

In FIG. 8A, in an embodiment, illustrates vehicles approaching anintersection, with an emergency vehicle approaching the sameintersection. In this example, however, vehicle C detects a road surfacewater hazard (or other road surface conditions that may impact itsability to stop such as snow, ice, oil, dirt, gravel, etc.) and mayadjust its advertised stopping distance by updating its BSM and/or CAMmessaging data element value for stopping distance. As it approaches theintersection, emergency vehicle A broadcasts its desired maneuver, toproceed through the intersection. Non-emergency vehicle B and vehicle Ceach determine their respective stopping distance using their respectivelocation & distance to intersection, speed & heading, detected roadconditions (vehicle C detects surface water), and/or stopping/brakingcapability or combination thereof, which may, in an embodiment, beutilized to determine if each vehicle can stop prior to theintersection. If present, infrastructure entities (e.g., roadside units(RSU)) may augment vehicles' knowledge of environment (weather, roadconditions, vulnerable road users (VRUs), etc.). In an embodiment, thecalculated stopping distance may be utilized to update the BSM and/orCAM messaging data element value for stopping distance.

In FIG. 8B, in an embodiment, illustrates vehicle B stopping at theintersection and vehicle C proceeding through intersection, due to adetermination that it cannot stop prior to the intersection to allowemergency vehicle A to pass through the intersection. In an embodiment,emergency vehicle A negotiates with vehicle B, and vehicle C. Vehicle Bdetermines it will be able to stop in time and transmits its stoppingdistance. Vehicle C determines it cannot stop in time because of asurface water hazard. Emergency vehicle A negotiates with vehicle B andvehicle C. Vehicle B stops at the intersection while vehicle C proceedsthrough the intersection. Vehicle A slows (or stops if necessary) toallow vehicle C to pass through the intersection before proceeding.

In an embodiment, new V2X data element (DE) types may be added to car tocar messaging. In an embodiment, these new V2X Data element (DE) Typesmay include autonomous driver and non-autonomous driver, stoppingdistance, turning radius at speed, and/or acceleration at speed orvarious combination thereof. In an embodiment, dynamic adjustment ofdata element values using a functional block may incorporate vehiclestatic conditions (e.g., tire pressure, brake pad wear, trailer orload), vehicle dynamic conditions (e.g., speed, heading, acceleration,yaw), vehicle inherent capabilities (e.g., braking, acceleration,turning radius), including externally-sensed road conditions. In anembodiment, the new V2X data element types and dynamic adjustment ofdata element values may be implemented in V2X-messaging in standardssuch as SAE and ETSI-ITS.

As shown in FIG. 9, in an embodiment, vehicle 1000, for example, a car,truck, motorcycle and/or other motorized vehicle, may transmit radiosignals to, and receive radio signals from, other vehicles 1000, forexample, via V2X car to car communication, and/or from a wirelesscommunication network. In one example, vehicle 1000 may communicate, viawide area network (WAN) wireless transceiver 930 and wireless antenna932 with other vehicles and/or wireless communication network bytransmitting wireless signals to, or receiving wireless signals from aremote wireless transceiver 930 which may comprise another vehicle1000′, a wireless base transceiver subsystem (BTS), a Node B or anevolved NodeB (eNodeB) or a next generation NodeB (gNodeB) over wirelesscommunication link. Similarly, vehicle 1000 may transmit wirelesssignals to, or receive wireless signals from a local transceiver over awireless communication link, for example, by using a wireless local areanetwork (WLAN) and/or a personal area network (PAN) wireless transceiver930 and wireless antenna 932. In an embodiment, wireless transceiver(s)930 may comprise various combinations of WAN, WLAN and/or PANtransceivers. In an embodiment, a local transceiver may also be aBluetooth transceiver, a ZigBee transceiver, or other PAN transceiver.In an embodiment, vehicle 1000 may transmit wireless signals to, orreceive wireless signals from a wireless transceiver 930 on a vehicle1000 over wireless communication link 934. A local transceiver, a WANwireless transceiver and/or a mobile wireless transceiver may comprise aWAN transceiver, an access point (AP), femtocell, Home Base Station,small cell base station, Home Node B (HNB), Home eNodeB (HeNB) or nextgeneration NodeB (gNodeB) and may provide access to a wireless localarea network (WLAN, e.g., IEEE 802.11 network), a wireless personal areanetwork (PAN, e.g., Bluetooth® network) or a cellular network (e.g. anLTE network or other wireless wide area network such as those discussedin the next paragraph). Of course, it should be understood that theseare merely examples of networks that may communicate with a vehicle overa wireless link, and claimed subject matter is not limited in thisrespect. It is also understood that wireless transceiver 930 may belocated on various vehicles 1000 boats, ferries, cars, buses, drone andvarious transport vehicles. In an embodiment, the vehicle 1000 may beutilized for passenger transport, package transport or other purposes.In an embodiment, GNSS signals 974 from GNSS Satellites are utilized byvehicle 1000 for location determination. In an embodiment, signals 934from WAN transceiver(s), WLAN and/or PAN local transceivers are used forlocation determination, alone or in combination with GNSS signals 974.

Examples of network technologies that may support wireless transceivers930 are Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Code DivisionMultiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), Long Term Evolution LTE),5^(th) Generation Wireless (5G) or New Radio Access Technology (NR),High Rate Packet Data (HRPD), and V2X car to car communication. V2X maybe defined in various standards such as SAE, ETS-ITS standards. GSM,WCDMA and LTE are technologies defined by 3GPP. CDMA and HRPD aretechnologies defined by the 3^(rd) Generation Partnership Project 2(3GPP2). WCDMA is also part of the Universal Mobile TelecommunicationsSystem (UMTS) and may be supported by an HNB.

Wireless transceivers 930 may communicate with communications networksvia WAN wireless base stations which may comprise deployments ofequipment providing subscriber access to a wireless telecommunicationnetwork for a service (e.g., under a service contract). Here, a WANwireless base station may perform functions of a wide area network (WAN)or cell base station in servicing subscriber devices within a celldetermined based, at least in part, on a range at which the WAN wirelessbase station is capable of providing access service. Examples of WANbase stations include GSM™, WCDMA™, LTE™, CDMA™, HRPD™, WiFi™, BT,WiMax™, and/or 5 ^(th) Generation (5G) base stations. In an embodiment,further wireless base stations may comprise a wireless LAN (WLAN) and/orPAN transceiver.

In an embodiment, vehicle 1000 may contain multiple wirelesstransceivers including WAN, WLAN and/or PAN transceivers. In anembodiment, radio technologies that may support wireless communicationlink or links further comprise Wireless local area network (e.g., WLAN,e.g., IEEE 802.11), Bluetooth™ (BT) and/or ZigBee™.

In an embodiment, vehicle 1000 may contain one or more cameras 935. Inan embodiment, the camera may comprise a camera sensor and mountingassembly. Different mounting assemblies may be used for differentcameras on vehicle 1000. For example, front facing cameras may bemounted in the front bumper, in the stem of the rear-view mirrorassembly or in other front facing areas of the vehicle 1000. Rear facingcameras may be mounted in the rear bumper/fender, on the rearwindshield, on the trunk or other rear facing areas of the vehicle. Theside facing mirrors maybe mounted on the side of the vehicle such asbeing integrated into the mirror assembly or door assemblies. Thecameras may provide object detection and distance estimation,particularly for objects of known size and/or shape (e.g., a stop signand a license plate both have standardized size and shape) and may alsoprovide information regarding rotational motion relative to the axis ofthe vehicle such as during a turn. When used in concert with the othersensors, the cameras may both be calibrated through the use of othersystems such as through the use of LIDAR, wheel tick/distance sensors,and/or GNSS to verify distance traveled and angular orientation. Thecameras may similarly be used to verify and calibrate the other systemsto verify that distance measurements are correct, for example bycalibrating against known distances between known objects (landmarks,roadside markers, road mile markers, etc.) and also to verify thatobject detection is performed accurately such that objects areaccordingly mapped to the correct locations relative to the car by LIDARand other system. Similarly, when combined with, for example,accelerometers, impact time with road hazards, may be estimated (elapsedtime before hitting a pot hole for example) which may be verifiedagainst actual time of impact and/or verified against stopping models(for example, compared against the estimated stopping distance ifattempting to stop before hitting an object) and/or maneuvering models(verifying whether current estimates for turning radius at current speedand/or a measure of maneuverability at current speed are accurate in thecurrent conditions and modifying accordingly to update estimatedparameters based on camera and other sensor measurements).

Accelerometers, gyros and magnetometers 940, in an embodiment, may beutilized to provide and/or verify motion and directional information.Accelerometers and gyros may be utilized to monitor wheel and drivetrain performance. Accelerometers, in an embodiment, may also beutilized to verify actual time of impact with road hazards such as potholes relative to predicted times based on existing stopping andacceleration models as well as steering models. Gyros and magnetometersmay, in an embodiment, be utilized to measure rotational status of thevehicle as well as orientation relative to magnetic north, respectively,and to measure and calibrate estimates and/or models for turning radiusat current speed and/or a measure of maneuverability at current speed,particularly when used in concert with measurements from other externaland internal sensors such as other sensors 945 such as speed sensors,wheel tick sensors, and/or odometer measurements.

Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) uses pulsed laser light to measureranges to objects. While cameras may be used for object detection, LIDARprovides a means, to detect the distances of the objects with morecertainty, especially in regard to objects of unknown size and shape.LIDAR measurements may also be used to estimate stopping distance atdifferent speeds and under varying conditions by providing accuratedistance measurements and delta distance measurements, which may be, inan embodiment, measured during braking and/or acceleration to determineactual stopping distances and/or acceleration distances which may beutilized directly or may, perhaps more likely, utilized to calibratepredictive stopping, turning and acceleration models. For example,measurements taken of stopping distance and, perhaps also of stoppingprofile versus time and brake pressure, done at 25 miles per hour may beused as input to vary the estimate for stopping performance at otherspeeds, such as at 60 mph. These estimates could be done as estimatesbased on sensor measurements or as estimated variances off of or appliedto a profile determined under reference conditions. Similar estimatesmay be done for acceleration and maneuverability to either tune aparticular model or apply variances to a model to estimate performanceunder given road, environment and vehicular conditions.

Memory 960 may be utilized with processor 910 and/or DSP 920. which maycomprise FLASH, RAM, ROM, disc drive, or FLASH card or other memorydevices or various combinations thereof. In an embodiment, memory 960may contain instructions to implement various methods describedthroughout this description. In an embodiment, memory may containinstructions for estimating stopping distance, maneuverability andacceleration parameters. In an embodiment, memory may containinstructions for operating and calibrating sensors, and for receivingmap, weather, vehicular (both vehicle 1000 and surrounding vehicles) andother data, and utilizing various internal and external sensormeasurements and received data and measurements to determine performanceparameters such as stopping distance, acceleration and turning radius atcurrent speed and/or maneuverability at current speed and to determineoperational parameters such as inter-car distance, turninitiation/timing and performance, and initiation/timing of mergingoperations into traffic.

In an embodiment, power and drive systems (generator, battery,transmission, engine) and related systems 975 and systems (brake,actuator, throttle control, steering, and electrical) 955 may becontrolled by the processor(s) and/or hardware or software or by anoperator of the vehicle or by some combination thereof. The systems(brake, actuator, throttle control, steering, electrical, etc.) 955 andpower and drive or other systems 975 may be utilized in conjunction withperformance parameters and operational parameters, to enableautonomously (and manually, relative to alerts and emergencyoverrides/braking/stopping) driving and operating a vehicle 1000 safelyand accurately, such as to safely, effectively and efficiently mergeinto traffic, stop, accelerate and otherwise operate the vehicle 1000.

A global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver may be utilized todetermine position relative to the earth (absolute position) and, whenused with other information such as measurements from other objectsand/or mapping data, to determine position relative to other objectssuch as relative to other cars and/or relative to the road surface.

The GNSS receiver 970 may be used to determine location which may beutilized to calibrate other sensors, when appropriate, such as fordetermining distance between two time points in clear sky conditions andusing the distance data to calibrate other sensors such as the odometerand/or LIDAR. GNSS doppler measurements may also be utilized todetermine linear motion and rotational motion of the vehicle, which maybe utilized in conjunction with gyro and/or magnetometer and othersensor systems to maintain calibration of those systems based uponmeasured location data.

Radio detection and ranging, Radar 953, uses transmitted radio wavesthat are reflected off of objects. The reflected radio waves areanalyzed, based on the time taken for reflections to arrive and othersignal characteristics of the reflected waves to determine the locationof nearby objects. Radar 953 may be utilized to detect the location ofnearby cars, roadside objects (signs, other vehicles, pedestrians, etc.)and will generally enable detection of objects even if there isobscuring weather such as snow, rail or hail. Thus, radar 953 may beused to complement LIDAR 950 systems and camera 935 systems in providingranging information to other objects by providing ranging and distancemeasurements and information when visual-based systems typically fail.Furthermore, radar 953 may be utilized to calibrate and/or sanity checkother systems such as LIDAR 955 and camera 935. Ranging measurementsfrom radar 953 may be utilized to determine/measure stopping distance atcurrent speed, acceleration, maneuverability at current speed and/orturning radius at current speed and/or a measure of maneuverability atcurrent speed.

As shown in FIG. 10, in an embodiment, vehicle 1000 may have camera(s)such as rear-view mirror-mounted camera 1006, front fender-mountedcamera (not shown), side mirror-mounted camera (not shown) and a rearcamera (not shown, but typically on the trunk, hatch or rear bumper).Vehicle 1000 may also have LIDAR 1004, for detecting objects andmeasuring distances to those objects; LIDAR 1004 is often roof-mounted,however, if there are multiple LIDAR units, they may be oriented aroundthe front, rear and sides of the vehicle. Vehicle 1000 may have othervarious location-related systems such as a GNSS receiver (typicallylocated in the shark fin unit on the rear of the roof), various wirelesstransceivers (such as WAN, WLAN, V2X; typically, but not necessarily,located in the shark fin) 1002, radar 1008 (typically in the frontbumper), and SONAR 1010 (typically located on both sides of the vehicle,if present). Various wheel 1012 and drive train sensors may also bepresent, such as tire pressure sensors, accelerometers, gyros, and wheelrotation detection and/or counters. It is realized that this list is notintended to be limiting and that FIG. 10 is intended to provide typicallocation of various sensors in an embodiment of vehicle 1000. Inaddition, further detail in regard to particular sensors is describedrelative to FIG. 9.

As shown in FIG. 11, in an embodiment, vehicle 1000 may receive vehicleand environment information from vehicle external sensors 1102, vehicleinternal sensors 1104, vehicle capabilities 1106, external V2X input1108 from the environment, from other vehicles, from system serversand/or from vehicle motion state 1110 (describing current and/or futuremotion states). The received vehicle and environment information may, inan embodiment, be processed in one or more processor(s) 910, DSP(s) 920and memory, connected and configured to provide external object sensingand classification, prediction and planning, and maneuver execution, aswell as to determine and update V2X capability data element values andto transmit, via one or more wireless transceivers 930, such as via aV2X transceiver, V2X messaging including the determined data elements.The messaging and data elements may be sent and received via variousmeans, protocols and standards, such as via SAE or ETSI SV2X messagesand data elements or other wireless protocols supported by wirelesstransceiver(s) 930.

V2X capability data element value determination block 1128 comprisesblocks 1130 for determining capability value as a function of inputs and1132 for updating V2X capability data elements and forwarding V2Xcapability data elements to block 1124 V2X Inter-vehicle negotiation,which may communicate various V2X data elements and V2X vehicle requestsand communication via wireless transceiver(s) 930. Block 1130, whichdetermines capability value as function of inputs, receives inputs fromblocks 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108 and 1110, in an embodiment, comprisinginternal and external sensors, capabilities, external V2X inputs and/orvehicle motion state. For example, in an embodiment, the inputs maycomprise vehicle external sensors 1102, vehicle internal sensors 1104,vehicle capabilities 1106, eternal V2X input(s) 1108, and/or vehiclemotion state 1110. Based upon and/or as a function of the abovedescribed inputs and other vehicle-related input sources such as servers1255, 1245, 1260, 1250, and 1240 providing, for example, vehicleinformation, routing, location assistance, map data and environmentaldata and provide input on and/or complement and/or are used inconjunction with the other inputs, for example road location data, mapdata, driving condition data and other vehicle-related data inputs, theego vehicle determines capability value(s), the vehicle determinescapability value(s) as a function of inputs 1130. The capability valuesprovided by block 1130 are determined as a function of inputs fromblocks 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108 and/or 1110, and are provided to updateV2X capability data element(s) in block 1132, where the capability dataelements are determined and formatted for V2X intervehicle messaging.Blocks 1130 and 1132 may be implemented using various dedicated orgeneralized hardware and software, such as using processor 910 and/orDSP 920 and memory 960 or, in an embodiment, in specialized hardwareblocks such as dedicated sensor processing and/or vehicle messagingcores. In an embodiment, blocks 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108 and 1110 may havededicated processing cores or may share processing with blocks 1130 and1132.

Vehicle external sensors 1102 may comprise, in some embodiments, cameras1006, LIDAR 1004, RADAR 1008, proximity sensors, rain sensors, weathersensors, GNSS receivers 1002 and received data used with the sensorssuch as map data, environmental data, location, route and/or othervehicle information such as may be received from other vehicles, devicesand servers such as, in an embodiment, map server 1250, route server1245, vehicle information server 1255, environmental data server 1240,location server 1260, and/or from associated devices such as mobiledevice 1200, which may be present in or near to the vehicle such asvehicle A 1280. It is understood that there may be one or a plurality ofcameras. In an embodiment, a camera may be front facing, side facing,rear facing or adjustable in view (such as a rotatable camera). In anembodiment, there may be multiple cameras 1006 facing the same plane.For example, the cameras 1006 may comprise two front facing cameras, onefocused on lower objects and/or a lower point of view (such as bumpermounted) for parking purposes and one focusing on a higher point of viewsuch as to track traffic, other vehicles, pedestrians and more distantobjects. In an embodiment, various views may be stitched and/or may becorrelated against other inputs such as V2X input from other vehicles tooptimize tracking of other vehicles and external entities and objectsand/or to calibrate sensor systems against each other. LIDAR 1004 may beroof mounted and rotating, or may be focused on a particular point ofview (such as front facing, rear facing, side facing). LIDAR 1004 may besolid state or mechanical. Proximity sensors may be ultrasonic,radar-based, light-based (such as based on infrared range finding),and/or capacitive (surface touch oriented or capacitive detection ofmetallic bodies). Rain and Weather sensors may include various sensingcapabilities and technologies such as barometric pressure sensors,moisture detectors, rain sensors, and/or light sensors and/or mayleverage other pre-existing sensor systems. GNSS receivers may beroof-mounted, such as in the fin antenna assembly at the rear of theroof of a car, hood or dash mounted or otherwise placed within theexterior or interior of the vehicle.

In an embodiment, vehicle internal sensors 1104 may comprise wheelsensors 1012 such as tire pressure sensors, brake pad sensors, brakestatus sensors, speedometers and other speed sensors, heading sensorsand/or orientation sensors such as magnetometers and geomagneticcompasses, distance sensors such as odometers and wheel tic sensors,inertial sensors such as accelerometers and gyros as well as inertialpositioning results using the above-mentioned sensors, and yaw, pitchand/or roll sensors as may be determined individually or as determinedusing other sensor systems such as accelerometers, gyros and/or tiltsensors.

Both vehicle internal sensors 1104 and vehicle external sensors 1102 mayhave shared or dedicated processing capability. For example, a sensorsystem or subsystem may have a sensor processing core or cores thatdetermines, based on measurements and other inputs from accelerometers,gyros, magnetometers and/or other sensing systems, car status valuessuch as yaw, pitch, roll, heading, speed, acceleration capability and/ordistance, and/or stopping distance. The different sensing systems maycommunicate with each other to determine measurement values or sendvalues to block 1130 to combine measurement values and determinecapability value(s) as a function of inputs. The car status valuesderived from measurements from internal and external sensors may befurther combined with car status values and/or measurements from othersensor systems using a general or applications processor. For example,blocks 1130, 1132 and/or 1124 or may be implemented on a dedicated or acentralized processor to determine data element values for V2X messagingwhich may be sent utilizing wireless transceivers 930 or via othercommunication transceivers. In an embodiment, the sensors may besegregated into related systems, for example, LIDAR, RADAR, motion,wheel systems, etc., operated by dedicated core processing for rawresults to output car status values from each core that are combined andinterpreted to derive combined car status values, including capabilitydata elements and status data elements, that may be used to control orotherwise affect car operation and/or as messaging steps shared withother vehicles and/or systems via V2X or other messaging capabilities.These messaging capabilities may be based on, in an embodiment, avariety of wireless-related, light-related or other communicationstandards, such as those supported by wireless transceiver(s) 930 andantenna(s) 932.

In an embodiment, vehicle capabilities 1106 may comprise performanceestimates for stopping, braking, acceleration, and turning radius, andautonomous and/or non-autonomous status and/or capability orcapabilities. In an embodiment, the capability estimates may beformula-based or may be based upon stored estimates, which may beloaded, in an embodiment, into memory. In an embodiment, storedestimates may be based on empirical performance numbers, either for aspecific vehicle, or for averages across one or more vehicles, and/orone or more models for a given performance figure. Where performanceestimates for multiple models are averaged or otherwise combined, theymay be chose based on similar or common features. For example, vehicleswith a similar or the same weight and the same or similar drive trainmay share performance estimates for drive-performance related estimatessuch as braking/stopping distance, turning radius, and accelerationperformance. Vehicle performance estimates may also be obtained, forexample, using external V2X input(s) 1108, over a wireless network fromvehicular data servers on the network. This is particularly helpful toobtain information for vehicles that are not wireless capable and cannotprovide vehicular information directly. In an embodiment, vehiclecapabilities 1106 may also be influenced by car component status such astire wear, tire brand capabilities, brake pad wear, brake brand andcapabilities, and engine status. In an embodiment, vehicle capabilities1106 may also be influenced by overall car status such as speed, headingand by external factors such as road surface, road conditions (wet, dry,slipperiness/traction), weather (windy, rainy, snowing, black ice, slickroads, etc.). In many cases, wear, or other system degradation, andexternal factors such as weather, road surface, road conditions, etc.may be utilized to reduce, validate or improve performance estimateswhen determining capability value(s) as a function of inputs 1130.Similarly, in an embodiment, brand related performance such as theinstallation of tires with better traction such as snow tires for use ina snowy environment in Winter may be used to alter or improveperformance or to temper degradation of performance. In an embodiment,multiple factors such as those mentioned above may be combined toestimate performance and to determine capability value as a function ofinputs 1130. In some embodiments, actual measured vehicle performancesuch as measuring vehicular stopping distance and/or acceleration timeper distance, may be measured and/or estimated based on actual vehiculardriving-related performance. In an embodiment, more recently measuredperformance may be weighted more heavily or given preference over oldermeasurements, if measurements are inconsistent. Similarly, in anembodiment, measurements taken during similar conditions such as in thesame type of weather or on the same type of road surface as is currentlydetected by the ego vehicle, such as via vehicle external sensors 1102and/or vehicle internal sensors 1104, may be weighted more heavilyand/or given preference in determining capability value(s) as a functionof inputs 1130.

The determined capability value(s), as determined as a function ofinputs in block 1130, are provided to block 1132, update V2X capabilitydata element(s), which are sent via block 1124, V2X inter-vehiclenegotiation, as may be implemented via various means, such as viacommunication over wireless transceiver 930 and utilizing various V2Xmessaging standards, such as via SAE or ETSI SV2X messages and dataelements. In an embodiment, one or more processor(s) 910 and/or DSP(s)920 and memory 960, and the systems described herein, or meanstherefore, may be connected and configured to perform the processesdescribed in regard to FIG. 11 and throughout this specification.Capability values as a function of inputs 1130 may be modified intodifferent data formats and/or units and/or may require other conversionor combination of one or more capability values prior to being utilizedas V2X capability data elements. Adjusting data formats and/or unitsand/or conversion or combination of one or more capability values may beperformed, in an embodiment, in processor(s) 910 and update V2Xcapability data element block 1132 or elsewhere in the architecture.

V2X vehicle sensing, prediction, planning execution 1112 handles thereceipt and processing of information from blocks 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108and 1110, via external object sensing and classification block 1114, inpart utilizing sensor fusion and object classification block 1116 tocorrelate, corroborate and/or combine data from input blocks 1102, 1104,1106, 1108 and 1110. Block 1114 external object sensing andclassification determines objects present, determines type of objects(car, truck, bicycle, motorcycle, pedestrian, animal, etc.) and/orobject status relative to the ego vehicle, such as movement status,proximity, heading relative to the ego vehicle, size, threat level, andvulnerability priority (a pedestrian would have a higher vulnerabilitypriority versus road litter, for example). This output from block 1114may be provided to prediction and planning block 1118, which determinesdetected objects and vehicles and their associated trajectory via block1120 and determines vehicle maneuver and path planning in block 1122,the outputs of which are utilized in block 1126 vehicle maneuverexecution either directly or via V2X inter-vehicle negotiation block1124, which would integrate and account for maneuver planning, locationand status received from other vehicles. V2X inter-vehicle negotiationaccounts for the status of neighboring vehicles and enables negotiationand coordination between neighboring or otherwise impacted vehiclesbased on vehicle priority, vehicle capabilities (such as the ability tostop, decelerate or accelerate to avoid collision), and, in someembodiments, various conditions such as weather conditions (rainy,foggy, snow, wind), road conditions (dry, wet, icy, slippery). Theseinclude, for example, negotiation for timing and order to pass throughan intersection between cars approaching the intersection, negotiationfor lane change between adjacent cars, negotiation for parking spaces,negotiation for access to directional travel on a single lane road or topass another vehicle. Inter-vehicle negotiation may also includetime-based and/or distance-based factors such as appointment time,destination distance and estimated route time to reach destination, and,in some embodiments, type of appointment and importance of theappointment.

As highlighted in FIG. 12, the ego vehicle may communicate over variousnetworks and with various devices and servers. In an embodiment, V2Xvehicle A 1280 may communicate, using V2X or other wireless orcommunication transceiver over link 1223, with V2X or otherwisecommunication-transceiver-enabled vehicle B 1290, for example, in anembodiment to perform inter-vehicle negotiation for lane changes or forpassage through an intersection, and to exchange V2X capability dataelements such as vehicle status, location and abilities, measurementdata, and/or calculated status, and to exchange other V2X vehicle statussteps not covered in the V2X capability data elements. In an embodiment,vehicle A may also communicate with vehicle B through a network, forexample, via base station 1220 and/or access point 1230, or via acommunication-enabled roadside unit (RSU) 1225, any of which may relaycommunication, information and/or convert protocols for use by othervehicles, such as vehicle B, particularly in an embodiment where vehicleB is not capable of communicating directly with vehicle A 1280 in acommon protocol. In an embodiment, vehicle A 1280 may also communicatewith roadside unit(s) 1225 such as, in various embodiments, variousroadside beacons, traffic and/or vehicular monitors, traffic controldevices, and location beacons.

In an embodiment, roadside unit (RSU) 1225 may have a processor 1225Aconfigured to operate wireless transceiver 1225E to send and receivewireless messages, for example, Basic Safety Messages (BSM) orCooperative Awareness Messages (CAM) or other V2X messages to/fromvehicle A 1280 and/or vehicle B 1290, from base station 1220 and/oraccess point 1230. For example, wireless transceiver 1225E may sendand/or receive wireless messages in various protocols such as V2Xcommunication with vehicles, and/or using various WAN, WLAN and/or PANprotocols to communicate over a wireless communication network. In anembodiment, wireless transceiver 1225E may communicate over a wirelesscommunication network by transmitting or receiving wireless signals froma wireless base transceiver subsystem (BTS), a Node B or an evolvedNodeB (eNodeB) or a next generation NodeB (gNodeB) over wirelesscommunication link. In an embodiment, wireless transceiver(s) 1225E maycomprise various combinations of WAN, WLAN and/or PAN transceivers. Inan embodiment, a local transceiver may also be a Bluetooth transceiver,a ZigBee transceiver, or other PAN transceiver. A local transceiver, aWAN wireless transceiver and/or a mobile wireless transceiver maycomprise a WAN transceiver, an access point (AP), femtocell, Home BaseStation, small cell base station, Home Node B (HNB), Home eNodeB (HeNB)or next generation NodeB (gNodeB) and may provide access to a wirelesslocal area network (WLAN, e.g., IEEE 802.11 network), a wirelesspersonal area network (PAN, e.g., Bluetooth® network) or a cellularnetwork (e.g. an LTE network or other wireless wide area network such asthose discussed in the next paragraph). It should be understood thatthese are merely examples of networks that may communicate with aroadside unit (RSU) 1225 over a wireless link, and claimed subjectmatter is not limited in this respect.

RSU 1225 may receive location, status and capability information fromvehicle A 1280 and/or vehicle B 1290 such as velocity, heading,location, stopping distance, priority or emergency status and othervehicle-related information and well as, in some embodiments,environmental information such as road surface information/status,weather status, and camera information. RSU 1225 may utilize receivedinformation, via wireless transceiver 1225E, from vehicle A 1280 and/orvehicle B 1290, environmental and roadside sensors 1225D, and networkinformation and control messages from, for example, traffic control andoptimization server 1265 to coordinate and direct traffic flow and toprovide environmental, vehicular, safety and announcement messages tovehicle A 1280 and vehicle B 1290.

Processor 1225A may be configured to operate a network interface 1225B,in an embodiment, which may be connected via a backhaul to network 1270,and which may be used, in an embodiment, to communicate and coordinatewith various centralized servers such as a centralized traffic controland optimization server 1265 that monitors and optimizes the flow oftraffic in an area such as within a city or a section of a city or in aregion. Network interface 1225B may also be utilized for remote accessto roadside unit (RSU) 1225 for crowd sourcing of vehicle data,maintenance of the roadside unit (RSU) 1225, and/or coordination withother roadside units 1225 or other uses. Roadside unit (RSU) 1225 mayhave a processor 1225A configured to operate traffic control unit 1225Cwhich may be configured to process data received from vehicles such asvehicle A 1280 and vehicle B 1290 such as location data, stoppingdistance data, road condition data, identification data and otherinformation related to the status and location of nearby vehicles andenvironment. Roadside unit (RSU) 1225 may have a processor 1225Aconfigured to obtain data from environmental and roadside sensors 1225D,which may include temperature, weather, camera, pressure sensors, roadsensors (for car detection, for example), accident detection, movementdetection, speed detection and other vehicle and environmentalmonitoring sensors.

In an embodiment, vehicle A 1280 may also communicate with mobile device1200 using short range communication and personal networks such asBluetooth, WiFi or Zigbee or via V2X or other vehicle-relatedcommunication protocols, for example, in an embodiment to access WANand/or WiFi networks and/or, in an embodiment, to obtain sensor and/orlocation measurements from mobile device 1200. In an embodiment, vehicleA 1280 may communicate with mobile device 1200 using WAN relatedprotocols through a WAN network, such as via WAN base station 1220 orusing WiFi either directly peer to peer or via a WiFi access point.Vehicle A 1280 and/or vehicle B 1290 may communicate using variouscommunication protocols. In an embodiment, vehicle A 1280 and/or vehicleB 1290 may support various and multiple modes of wireless communicationsuch as, for example, using V2X, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, CDMA, HRPD, Wi-Fi, BT,WiMAX, Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5th Generation Wireless (5G) new radioaccess technology (NR) communication protocols, etc.

In an embodiment, vehicle A may communicate over WAN networks using WANprotocols via base station 1220 or with wireless LAN access point 1230using wireless LAN protocols such as WiFi. A vehicle may also supportwireless communication using a wireless LAN (WLAN), personal areanetwork (PAN) such as Bluetooth™ or ZigBee, DSL or packet cable forexample.

Vehicle A 1280 and/or vehicle B 1290, in an embodiment, may contain oneor more GNSS receivers such as GNSS receiver 970 for reception of GNSSsignals 1212, from GNSS satellites 1210, for location determination,time acquisition and time maintenance. Various GNSS systems may besupported alone or in combination, using GNSS receiver 970 or otherreceiver, to receive signals from Beidou, Galileo, Glonass, and/or GPS,and various regional navigational systems such as QZSS and NavIC orIRNSS. Other wireless systems may be utilized such as those depending onbeacons such as, in an example, one or more roadside units (RSU) 1225,one or more wireless LAN access point 1230 or one or more base stations1220. Various GNSS signals 1212 may be utilized in conjunction with carsensors 940 and/or 945 to determine location, velocity, proximity toother vehicles such as between vehicle A 1280 and vehicle B 1290.

In an embodiment, vehicle A and/or vehicle B may access GNSSmeasurements and/or locations determined at least in part using GNSS asprovided by mobile device 1200, which, in an embodiment would also haveGNSS, WAN, WiFi and other communications receivers and/or transceivers.In an embodiment, vehicle A 1280 and/or vehicle B 1290 may access GNSSmeasurements and/or locations determined at least in part using GNSS asprovided by mobile device 1200 as a fallback in case GNSS receiver 970fails or provides less than a threshold level of location accuracy.

In an embodiment, Vehicle A 1280 and/or Vehicle B 1290 may access,either directly or indirectly (such as through a roadside unit), variousservers on the network such as vehicle information server 1255, routeserver 1245, location server 1260, map server 1250, environmental dataserver 1240, and traffic control and optimization server 1265. Thevarious servers including vehicle information server 1255, route server1245, location server 1260, map server 1250, environmental data server1240, and traffic control and optimization server 1265 comprise at leastone processor, which may include general processors, DSPs, dedicatedprocessors and various combinations thereof, memory including RAM, ROM,FLASH, hard drive and virtual memory or various combinations thereof,and an at least one network interface which may comprise a physical linksuch as a LAN cable, fiber or other physical connection, wireless linkssuch as wide area network (WAN), wireless LAN (WLAN), personal area andshort range network connections (PAN) such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, andsome 5G device to device communications and/or any combination thereof.

Vehicle information server 1255, may provide information describingvarious vehicles, as may be utilized in making decisions in regard tonearby cars such as whether they are capable of stopping or acceleratingin time, whether they are autonomously driven, autonomous drivingcapable, and/or communications capable. In an embodiment, vehicleinformation server 1255 may also provide information in regard tovehicle size, shape, capabilities, identification, ownership, occupancy,and/or determined location point (such as, for example, the location ofthe GNSS receiver) and the location of the car boundaries relative tothe determined location point.

Route server 1245, may receive current location and destinationinformation, and provide routing information for the vehicle, map data,alternative route data and/or traffic and street conditions data.

Location server 1260, in an embodiment, may provide locationdetermination capabilities, transmitter signal acquisition assistance(such as GNSS satellite orbital predictions information, timeinformation approximate location information and/or approximate timeinformation), transceiver almanacs such as those containingidentification of and location for WiFi access points and base stations,and, in some embodiments, additional information relative to the routesuch as speed limits, traffic, and road status/construction status. Mapserver 1250 which may provide map data, such as road locations, pointsof interest along the road, address locations along the roads, roadsize, road speed limits, traffic conditions, and/or road conditions(wet, slippery, snowy/icy, etc.), road status (open, under construction,accidents, etc.). Environmental data server 1240 may, in an embodiment,provide weather and/or road related information, traffic information,terrain information, and/or road quality & speed information and/orother pertinent environmental data. V

In an embodiment, Vehicles 1280 and 1290 and mobile devices 1200, inFIG. 12, may communication over network 1270 via various network accesspoints such as wireless LAN access point 1230 or wireless WAN basestation 1220 over network 1270. Vehicles 1280 and 1290 and mobiledevices 1200, in FIG. 12, may also, in some embodiments, communicatedirectly between devices, between vehicles and device to vehicle andvehicle to device using various shorter-range communications mechanismsto communicate directly without going over network 1270, such as viaBluetooth, Zigbee and 5G new radio standards.

As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, in an embodiment, vehicle 1000, forexample, a car, truck, motorcycle and/or other motorized vehicle, mayexchange vehicle autonomous capability to enable desired lane changemaneuver with closer vehicle spacing. In FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B, in anembodiment, Ego vehicle E 1300 does a lane change to merge betweenvehicles to its right, moving from lane 3 to lane 2, and entering theslot between two autonomous vehicles A, 1305A and 1305B. BSM (or CAM orother V2X) messages from autonomous vehicles in Lane 2 include a dataelement designating the vehicles A as autonomously driven. BSM (or CAMor other V2X) messages for ego vehicle E, the vehicle that is planningto do the lane change, from lane 3 to lane 2 also includes a dataelement designating vehicle E as autonomously driven. Vehicle E 1300negotiates and executes the lane change with vehicles A, 1305A and1305B, in lane 2. Since vehicle E 1300 and vehicles A, 1305A and 1305,are mutually aware they are autonomous, closer inter-vehicle spacing isenabled than if vehicles A in lane 2 were non-autonomous and/or not ableto communicate status and intended lane change information.

In FIG. 14, in an embodiment, an example message flow between autonomousvehicle E 1300, shown in FIG. 14 as autonomous vehicle (E) 1404, andautonomous vehicles A, 1305A and 1305B, shown in FIG. 14 as autonomousvehicles (A) 1402, is illustrated for the lane change illustrated inFIG. 13A and FIG. 13B. In step 1406 autonomous vehicles A, 1305A and1305B, send a BSM/CAM message containing a data element indicatingautonomous vehicle capability for vehicles A, 1305A and 1305B. In step1408, ego vehicle E 1300 sends a BSM/CAM message containing a dataelement indicating autonomous vehicle capability for vehicle E 1300. Inan embodiment, these messages may be broadcast or may be point to point.In step 1410, autonomous vehicles A, 1305A and 1305B, negotiate the lanechange with ego vehicle E 1300, via BSM and/or CAM messages. Autonomousvehicles A, 1305A and 1305B, and ego vehicle E 1300 may negotiate, in anembodiment, the timing, inter-car spacing, and schedule of eventsinvolved such that the lane change may be completed safely. In anembodiment, ego vehicle E 1300 sends a request to autonomous vehicles(A), corresponding to vehicles 1305A and 1305B of FIG. 13, requesting alane change with destination location between autonomous vehicles A,1305A and 1305B. The request may be broadcast to nearby vehicles or maybe send point to point to from ego vehicle (E) 1300 to autonomousvehicles 1305A and 1305B of FIG. 13. Autonomous vehicles A, 1305A and1305B may, in an embodiment, respond to ego vehicle (E) 1300 with anacknowledgement and an acceptance or denial of the request to increaseinter-vehicle spacing between autonomous vehicles A, 1305A and 1305B.Autonomous vehicles A, 1305A and 1305B, may send messaging between eachother to negotiate whether vehicle 1305A speeds up or whether vehicle1305B slows down or some combination thereof. If either of autonomousvehicles A, 1305A and 1305B, is incapable of increasing spacing or ifone has access to greater available space in front (1305A) or back(1305B) of it, that vehicle may be chosen or volunteer to increase thein spacing between autonomous vehicles A, 1305A and 1305B withoutfurther action on the part of the other of the pair of autonomousvehicles A, 1305A and 1305B. In an embodiment, once autonomous vehiclesA, 1305A and 1305B, have reached the requested spacing, one or both ofautonomous vehicles A, 1305A and 1305B, will send a message torequesting ego vehicle (E) 1300 noting that required spacing has beenreached, enabling autonomous vehicle (E) 1300 to move from its currentlane into the created space between autonomous vehicles A, 1305A and1305B. If one of the vehicles in the target lane is not autonomous, egovehicle (E) may instead request a space between a nearby pair ofautonomous vehicles or, in the alternative, the autonomous vehicle of apair of autonomous and non-autonomous vehicles may create the entirespace for ego vehicle (E) to merge into. Furthermore, if one of the twocars is not autonomous, the autonomous vehicle may increase the spacingbetween it and the non-autonomous vehicle to be greater than what wouldother be allocated between two autonomous vehicles to provide extramargin for a safe lane change.

As shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, in an embodiment, vehicle 1000, forexample, a car, truck, motorcycle and/or other motorized vehicle, mayexchange vehicle autonomous capability messaging, between autonomousvehicle E (1500) and non-autonomous vehicles in the target lane (1510A,1510B, 1510C) to enable a desired lane change maneuver, but with greatervehicle spacing than between autonomous vehicles. In FIG. 15A and FIG.15B, in an embodiment, vehicle E (1500) intends to do a lane change tothe left, from lane 3 to lane 4 between two non-autonomous vehicles(1510A, 1510B). BSM (or CAM or other V2X) messages from non-autonomousvehicle(s) in Lane 4 include a data element designating the vehicle(s)1510A and 1510B as non-autonomously driven. BSM (or CAM or other V2X)messages for ego vehicle E (1500), the vehicle that is planning to dothe lane change, from lane 3 to lane 4 includes a data elementdesignating vehicle E (1500) as autonomously driven. Vehicle E (1500)negotiates and executes the lane change with vehicles in lane 4. Sincevehicle E (1500) and vehicles 1510A and 1510B are mutually aware thatvehicles 1510A and 1510B are non-autonomous, a greater inter-vehiclelane spacing is utilized than if lane 4 vehicles 1510A and 1510B wereautonomous. If either of non-autonomous vehicles (1510A, 1510B) isincapable of responding to a lane change request by autonomous egovehicle 1500, it may respond with an incapability message, a refusal orother message denoting its inability to respond. If the othernon-autonomous vehicle of non-autonomous vehicles (1510A, 1510B) iscapable of responding, it may create the entire gap without furtherinvolvement by the other non-autonomous vehicle of non-autonomousvehicles (1510A, 1510B). Otherwise, based on the request failure,autonomous ego vehicle 1300 may re-target the lane merge to anotherspace and/or another pair of automobiles.

In FIG. 16, in an embodiment, an example message flow between autonomousvehicle (E) 1604 and non-autonomous vehicles 1602 (e.g., 1510A and 1510Bof FIGS. 15A and 15B) is illustrated for the lane change illustrated inFIG. 15A and FIG. 15B. In FIG. 16, in an embodiment, an example messageflow between autonomous vehicle E 1604, (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 15A and15B as autonomous vehicle (E) 1500), and non-autonomous vehicles 1602,(e.g., 1510A and 1510B, as shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B) is illustratedfor the lane change illustrated in FIG. 15A and FIG. 15B. In step 1606non-autonomous vehicles A 1602 send a BSM and/or CAM message containinga data element indicating non-autonomous vehicle status or lack ofautonomous vehicle capability for non-autonomous vehicles 1602. In anembodiment, the message may be broadcast to nearby vehicles or sentpoint to point as a response to requests from nearby vehicles or both.In step 1608, autonomous ego vehicle (E) 1604 sends a BSM/CAM messagecontaining a data element indicating autonomous vehicle capability forautonomous ego vehicle (E) 1604. In an embodiment, these messages may bebroadcast or may be point to point. In step 1610, non-autonomousvehicles 1602 (e.g., 1510A and 1510B of FIGS. 15A and 15B), negotiatethe lane change with autonomous ego vehicle (E) 1604, via BSM and/or CAMmessages. Non-autonomous vehicles 1602, and autonomous ego vehicle (E)1604 may negotiate, in an embodiment, the timing, inter-car spacing, andschedule of events involved such that the lane change may be completedsafely. In an embodiment, autonomous ego vehicle (E) 1604 sends arequest to non-autonomous vehicles 1602, corresponding to vehicles 1510Aand 1510B of FIGS. 15A and 15B, requesting a lane change withdestination location between the two non-autonomous vehicles 1602. Therequest may be broadcast to nearby vehicles or may be send point topoint to from ego vehicle (E) 1604 to non-autonomous vehicles 1602.Non-autonomous vehicles 1602 may, in an embodiment, respond torequesting autonomous ego vehicle (E) 1604 with an acknowledgement andan acceptance or denial of the request to increase inter-vehicle spacingbetween non-autonomous vehicles 1602. Non-autonomous vehicles 1602 maysend messaging between each other to negotiate whether onenon-autonomous vehicle speeds up or whether the other non-autonomousvehicle slows down or some combination thereof. If either non-autonomousvehicles 1602, is incapable of increasing spacing (e.g., blocked in by anon-autonomous vehicle or by a vehicle otherwise not capable ofsupporting automatic lane changes) or if one of the non-autonomousvehicles 1602 has access to greater available space in front or in backof it, that vehicle may be chosen or volunteer to increase the inspacing between the non-autonomous vehicles 1602 without further actionon the part of the other of the pair of non-autonomous vehicles 1602. Inan embodiment, once non-autonomous vehicles 1602 have reached therequested spacing, one or both of non-autonomous vehicles 1602 will senda message to requesting ego vehicle (E) 1604 noting that requiredspacing has been reached, enabling autonomous vehicle (E) 1604 to movefrom its current lane into the created space between non-autonomousvehicles 1602. As an alternative, because the vehicles in the targetlane are non-autonomous, ego vehicle (E) may instead request a spacebetween a nearby pair of autonomous vehicles or, as a furtheralternative, the autonomous vehicle of a pair of autonomous andnon-autonomous vehicles may create the entire space for autonomous egovehicle (E) 1604 to merge into. Furthermore, because the two vehicles inthe target lane are non-autonomous, the autonomous vehicle that isrequesting a lane change may request increased the spacing between thetwo non-autonomous cars before merging into their lane than it wouldrequest from two autonomous vehicles to provide extra margin for a safelane change.

As shown in FIG. 17, in an embodiment, vehicle 1000, for example, a car,truck, motorcycle and/or other motorized vehicle, may exchangevehicle-advertised stopping distance to determine platoon or otherinter-vehicle spacing. In an embodiment, vehicles determine stoppingdistance based on detected parameters, such as vehicle velocity,detected road/weather conditions, inherent braking capability, vehicleinternal status (e.g., tire pressure), and vehicle driving state(autonomous or non-autonomous). In FIG. 17, V5 (1706) advertises alarger stopping distance due to a detected road condition (water on theroad or other road hazard (such as ice, gravel or sand on the road)).Platoon or other inter-car spacing incorporates larger advertisedstopping distance due to a one or more detected road condition. Here, inFIG. 17, V4 (1704) and V5 (1706) may increase inter-vehicle spacingbetween each other due to the advertisement by V5 (1706) of a largerstopping distance due to water or other road hazard.

In FIG. 18, in an embodiment, an example message flow between autonomousvehicles V1 (1802), V2 (1804), V3 (1806), V4 (1808) and V5 (1810) isillustrated, incorporating stopping distance based on vehicle status andsensed environment. In step 1812, each of V1 (1802) through V5 (1810)broadcasts, using BSM or CAM messaging, based on the respective vehiclestatus (for example, tire tread, tire inflation, current weight) andenvironment (hazards on the road such as water, ice, gravel or sand,road composition, weather, wind, and/or visibility distance). Thevehicles, if they are capable of doing so, will utilize the broadcaststopping distance of each nearby vehicle, to, in step 1814, negotiateplatoon and/or other inter-vehicle spacing (i.e., a platoon formation isnot necessary to use this technique) using the BSM- (or CAM orotherwise) provided stopping distance. If a vehicle is incapable ofmessaging or otherwise does not support inter-vehicle spacingadjustments based on broadcast stopping distance-related measurements,the adjacent vehicles may adjust around it to compensate. In FIG. 18,each vehicle dynamically updates its BSM (or CAM) messaging steps forstopping distance based upon self-detected vehicle conditions,externally-detected environmental and/or road conditions,externally-received road conditions from other vehicles and/orinfrastructure entities such as environmental data server 1240 and/ormap server 1250 and/or roadside units (RSU) 1225.

In FIG. 19A and FIG. 19B, in an embodiment, surrounding vehicles stop toallow an emergency vehicle to traverse an intersection. In FIG. 19A andFIG. 19B, in an embodiment, vehicles V1, V2, V3 broadcast BSM (or otherV2X such CAM messaging) messages with calculated stopping distance.Emergency (or other priority) vehicle V2 transmits intersection priorityrequest to a roadside unit (RSU), such as a Signal Request Message SRM,for example. Based on the respective stopping distances provided by V1and V3 (using respective stopping distances and estimated distance fromthe intersection, the RSU may determine if V1 and V3 are able to safelystop before the intersection), the RSU, upon determining that V1 and V3are able to safely stop, grants V2 intersection access (transmits SignalStatus Message, SSM). The RSU then transmits revised intersection timing(SPAT message, for example). The RSU then transmits a signal statusmessage (SSM) to V1 and V3 requesting a stop at the intersection.Emergency/priority vehicle V2 proceeds through the intersection while V1and V3 stop at the intersection.

In FIG. 20, in an embodiment, an example message flow between vehiclesapproaching an intersection incorporating messaging that includesstopping distance is illustrated. In an embodiment, vehicles V1, V2 andV3 transmit BSM messages with a message step containing their respectivestopping distance based on vehicle status and sensed environment. WhereV2 is an emergency vehicle, in an embodiment, the RSU will verify thatvehicles V1 and V3 are capable of safely stopping before theintersection based on the stopping distances provided by V1 and V3. IfV1 and V3 are capable of stopping, the RSU will grant V2 intersectionaccess based on V1 and V3 provided stopping distances. The RSU will alsoupdate the intersection signal timing, e.g., using a SPAT message, suchthat emergency vehicle V2 may proceed through the intersection withoutstopping. The RSU sends a signal status message (intersection accessmessage) to V2 to communicate the grant of intersection access to V2.Similarly, the RSU sends a signal status message denying intersectionaccess to V1 and V3, requesting that V1 and V3 stop at the intersection.Emergency vehicle V2 then proceeds through the intersection while V1 andV3 stop at the intersection. In a case where all three vehicles arenon-emergency vehicles, in an embodiment, the RSU may allocateintersection access in a manner that minimizes the number of vehiclesthat stop at the intersection to maximize traffic throughput (thus,here, V1 and V3 would be instructed/messaged to pass through theintersection and V2 would be instructed to stop, assuming V2's stoppingdistance provided via BSM allowed for safely stopping before theintersection).

In FIG. 21A and FIG. 21B, in an embodiment, an emergency vehicle slowsand/or stops before passing an intersection to allow a vehicle that ispotentially unable to stop to pass through the intersection. In FIG. 21Aand FIG. 21B, in an embodiment, Vehicles V1, V2, V3 broadcast BSM (orother V2X messaging) with calculated stopping distance; here, the V1stopping distance is increased due to a water hazard and/or due to otherfactors such as vehicle speed, vehicle weight, and road surfaceconditions (note that here, in an example, V1 may is a truck; however,V1 could also be a car or other vehicle type). Emergency (or otherurgent) vehicle V2 transmits an intersection priority request toroadside unit (RSU) such as a signal request message, SRM, for example.Based on V1-provided stopping distance, the RSU determines that V1cannot safely stop before the intersection and rejects V2 intersectionaccess, transmitting Signal Status Message, SSM, such that V2 will slowor stop for the intersection to allow V1 to pass through theintersection first. The RSU then transmits revised intersection timing(SPAT message, for example). Then, the RSU transmits SSM to V1, V3. V1proceeds through the intersection. Emergency/priority vehicle V2 andvehicle V3 stop at the intersection. In an embodiment, if V3 may alsosafely proceed while V1 proceeds through the intersection, both V1 andV3 may pass through the intersection, granted access due to V1'sbroadcast stopping distance. Once V1 has passed through the intersectionor if V3 is also allowed to pass, then once both V1 and V3 have passedthrough the intersection, the RSU transmits a signal status messageinstructing emergency vehicle V2 to pass through the intersection.

In FIG. 22, in an embodiment, an example message flow between vehiclesapproaching an intersection incorporating messaging that includesstopping distance, and further including a vehicle with increasedstopping distance due to sensed environmental conditions, isillustrated, reflecting the messaging involved in the scenarioillustrated in FIGS. 21A and 21B. Thus, in an embodiment, in step 2210,Vehicles V1, V2 and V3 broadcast BSM messaging including a respectivestopping distance data element based on vehicle status and sensedenvironmental data. Vehicle V1, as illustrated in FIGS. 21A and 21B,determines environmental data showing that a wet/slippery road conditionexists and therefore broadcasts a longer stopping distance in a BSMmessage. In step 2212, Emergency vehicle V2 sends a signal requestmessage for intersection access to the roadside unit (RSU). Based uponV1's broadcast BSM stopping distance, the roadside unit (RSU) 2208 willdetermine that vehicle V1 is incapable of safely stopping before theintersection and the RSU will reject the V2 intersection access requestbased on the V1 provided stopping distance, updating the intersectionsignal timing via a SPAT or other message accordingly, enabling vehicleV1, or, in some embodiments, if both may safely pass at the same time,then, allowing both vehicles V1 and V3, to pass through theintersection. Therefore, in step 2214 a signal status message will besent from the RSU to vehicle V2 denying intersection access, causingvehicle V2 to subsequently stop at the intersection. Also, in step 2216,a signal status message will be sent from the RSU to vehicle V1 grantingintersection access to vehicle V1, which will subsequently pass throughthe intersection. In an embodiment, a signal status message or othermessage may be sent to vehicle V3 denying intersection access whichcauses vehicle V3 to subsequently stop at the intersection while waitingfor vehicle V1 and then for vehicle V2 to pass through the intersection;or, in an embodiment, the RSU may determine that both V1 and V3 aregoing in the same direction or at least that their respective paths donot conflict (e.g., V3 and V1 are going straight through theintersection or turning right) and may pass through the intersectionconcurrently, in which case vehicle V3 may receive a signal statusmessage or other message allowing it intersection access concurrentlywith vehicle V1, prior to allowing emergency vehicle V2 access to theintersection.

Therefore, once V1 has passed through the intersection (or V1 and V3 ifboth are allowed), a new signal status message or other message grantingintersection access is sent by RSU 2208, to V2, instructing V2 toproceed through the intersection. Once vehicle V2 has proceeded throughthe intersection, if V3 was not previously allowed through theintersection while V1 passed through the intersection, a signal statusinstruction may then be sent to vehicle V3 authorizing vehicle V3 topass through the intersection.

In FIG. 23, in an embodiment, an ego vehicle communicates with a firstand a second vehicle to request that the first and second vehiclesprovide lane access and requested spacing for the ego vehicle to mergeinto their lane. In an embodiment, the requested spacing may account forwhether the other vehicles are autonomous or non-autonomous (autonomousvehicle status) and braking distance for the various vehicles. Forexample, in an embodiment, if the car in front of the ego vehicle iscapable of stopping in distance X and the ego vehicle is capable ofstopping in distance Y, where distance X is shorter than Y, the egovehicle may request extra space between the ego vehicle and the vehiclein front of it (for example, Y−X or more extra distance) to allow forthe inability of the ego vehicle to stop within X distance. Similarly,the vehicle in back of the ego vehicle will negotiate for appropriatespacing between the ego vehicle and the vehicle in back. Thus, if egovehicle is capable of stopping in distance X and the vehicle in back iscapable of stopping in Y; if X>Y, the vehicle in back needs to allow atleast Y distance. However, if X<Y, the vehicle in back needs to allowfor at least Y+(Y−X) distance between the two cars. It is understood,that stopping distances are dynamic and may vary depending upon manyfactors including vehicular weight, cargo weight, tire pressure, roadsurface type, road surface status, weather, tire tread, brake wear,brake pressure and other factors. Therefore, in an embodiment, each ofthe vehicles will send messaging (for example, a broadcast message),comprising a basic safety message (BSM) or cooperative awareness message(CAM), wherein the message comprises an identification data element, anautonomous vehicle status data element, and/or a braking distance dataelement, which may be utilized to determine and request appropriatespacing between the vehicles and appropriate spacing to allow whenvehicles are merging lanes. It is also understood that other factorsbesides those stated may also impact safe distances between vehicles andthat additional space between vehicles to account for those factors(such as vehicular decision delay unforeseen obstacles, etc.) may beallocated.

In FIG. 23, it is understood that messages may be sent and received viawireless transceiver(s) 930 and antenna(s) 932 and may be directed viaprocessor 910 and/or utilize DSP 920 and/or store data and instructionsin memory 960, as described in FIG. 9. It is also understood thatvarious sensors 945, accelerometers, gyros and magnetometers 940, camera935, LIDAR 950, and/or systems 955 and/or externally providedinformation received over wireless transceiver(s) 930 or through othermeans may be utilized in determining braking distance and other dataelements. It is further understood that various control, actions and/ormaneuvers, and the analysis utilized to determine the control, actionsand/or maneuvers, may be directed via or performed by processor 910and/or DSP 920 using data and/or instructions in memory 960, and thatprocessor 910 and/or DSP 920 using data and/or instructions in memory960 may interact with various systems 955 and/or power and drive systems975 and/or other systems, as described in FIGS. 9-11.

In step 2310, an ego vehicle receives a first message from a firstvehicle, wherein the message comprises an identification data elementfor the first vehicle, an autonomous vehicle status data element for thefirst vehicle or a braking distance data element for the first vehicleor a combination thereof. The messaging between vehicles may be sent asbasic safety messages (BSM) or cooperative awareness messages (CAM) orby utilizing other message protocols supported by wirelesstransceiver(s) 930.

The first and second vehicles, in an embodiment, are the targetvehicle(s) that will be in front or in back of the ego vehicle after alane change to insert in between the first and the second vehicle. Theego vehicle, in an embodiment, determines the identification for, theautonomous vehicle status (autonomously driven or manually driven)and/or the braking distance required for the first and second vehicles.The identification enables negotiation directly between the ego vehicleand the first and second vehicles.

Braking distance information may be utilized to determine a minimum safedistance between the ego vehicle and the first and second vehicles postmerge. For example, the distance between vehicles may be determined suchthat collisions will be avoided in a sudden stop of the vehicles. In anembodiment, if the targeted following car requires more stoppingdistance than the vehicle in front of it, extra distance is added to theinter-vehicle spacing (for example, an extra buffer of the longerstopping distance less the shorter stopping distance) to avoidcollisions during an emergency stop of the vehicles. It is furtherassumed that, in an embodiment, autonomously driven vehicles will have afaster response time than manually driven vehicles. Therefore, in anembodiment, manually driven vehicles may add extra buffer to theirstopping distance to account for the extra response time required for amanual stop versus an autonomous stop. In an embodiment, adifferentiation may also be made for a manually operated vehicle forwhich automatic emergency braking is enabled, such that emergencybraking is quicker than for a fully manually operated vehicle, wherethere may be no increase or less increase in braking distance relativeto braking distance for a fully autonomous vehicle.

Braking distance may be determined as described relative to FIG. 11and/or as described below. Braking distance may utilize information fromego vehicle external sensors 1102, ego vehicle internal sensors 1104,ego vehicle capabilities 1106, external V2X inputs 1108, and ego vehiclemotion state 1110, including current motion station such as velocity andheading and future intended motion and heading. Ego vehicle capabilitiesmay, in an embodiment, be based on empirical test data for the make andmodel of the ego vehicle, such as factory test data, or may be based onmeasured performance data of the ego vehicle or may be formula-based,such as by using one or more of the formulas for braking distancespecified herein. In an embodiment, ego vehicle capabilities may also bebased on empirical test data modified based on current vehicle motionstate 1110 and information from ego vehicle internal sensors 1104 andego vehicle external sensors 1102. For example, in an embodiment, a makeand model of car may be tested at various speeds using stock tires andtire inflation to determine stopping distances at various speeds and astopping distance profile based on speed that assumes stock tires and astandard road surface. In an embodiment, the stopping distance profilemay be stored as a table, where stopping distance for a given velocitymay be interpolated based upon an entry at a higher velocity and anentry at a lower velocity. In an embodiment, each stopping distance maybe fit into an equation or otherwise associated with a velocity. Thismay be done in a table or in an equation where the velocity of thevehicle, and in some embodiments, other factors and/or measurements, areinput into an equation or table and the corresponding estimated stoppingdistance is output from the equation or table. Another factor toconsider may include the reaction time of the vehicle, once a decisionto stop is made and/or a human reaction time if the vehicle is beingoperated manually. If reaction time is considered, the speed of the carmultiplied by the reaction time would be added to the estimated brakingdistance. Braking distance is composed of the reaction time to initiatebraking multiplied by the velocity added to the distance required forthe car motion to stop once braking is initiated. Typically, thedistance required for the car to stop is related to the square of thevelocity. It is also related to road gradient, road surface conditions,vehicular loading/weight, and the condition and type of brakes beingutilized. Because road conditions and other environmental factors arealso involved, the braking distance may vary and may need to be adjustedfor variations in the environment such as ice or snow or water on theroad. In an embodiment, an equation for braking distance, d_(B), may berepresented as follows: d_(B)=(t_(R)*v)+(v²/k*f_(R)*f_(L)*f_(B)), wheret_(R) is reaction time, v is velocity, f_(R) is a function of roadsurface conditions and grade, f_(L) is a function of vehicle loading,f_(B) is a function of brake nominal performance and current brakestatus (degree of wear, etc.), and k is a scaling factor, in someembodiments, derived through empirical testing. k*f_(R)*f_(L)*f_(B) isan estimated value to account for road friction, brake efficacy andmass. A simpler, but perhaps less accurate, estimate that variations inf_(R), f_(L), and f_(B) could also be utilized whered_(B)=(t_(R)*v)+(v²/2 ug), where u is a friction coefficient and grepresents gravity.

The effects related to tire traction, tire inflation, or loading orother effects may, in some embodiments, also have different amounts ofimpact at different velocities (i.e., may also have non-linear impact),or in some embodiments may be estimated with linear models or in someembodiments represented by a constant factor (e.g., a wet road factorversus s dry road factor). The estimated stopping distance may beadjusted, either via direct input into the equation or via modificationof the stopping distance output for various sensor input. For example,stopping distance decreases as tire pressure decreases due to greatercontact with the road surface. However, water drainage also decreases astire pressure decreases due to tire deformation. Thus, in dryconditions, the stopping distance may be increased due to over-inflatedtires or decreased due to underinflated tires. In an embodiment, to beconservative, impacts that increase stopping distance may be consideredwhile those that decrease stopping distance may be ignored orde-weighted/de-emphasized relative to their effect. In wet conditions,underinflated tires increase the risk of hydroplaning, and in anembodiment, tire pressure sensors may be utilized to in detect anunderinflation condition where pressure is less than a thresholdpressure, or is less than the recommended pressure by some threshold,which may be utilized to add extra distance to stopping distance basedon an increased possibility of hydroplaning or otherwise skidding overthe road surface. Similarly, input from tire traction sensors such asanti-lock braking sensors, traction control sensors and all-wheel drivetraction sensors may be utilized to detect slick surfaces and loss oftraction to tires and may trigger either a default increase to brakingdistance or may increase braking distance based upon a measured degreeof road slickness/lack of traction. In an embodiment, temperature may beutilized to modify the stopping distance. For example, warmertemperatures may impact the softness of the tire tread and increasetraction on a road surface while cold temperature may harden tiresurfaces and reduce tire traction, thereby increasing stopping distanceon cold days. Further, where sub-freezing temperatures are combined withdetection of moisture, precipitation or high humidity, road surfaces maybe slick or iced over and stopping distance may be increased. In anembodiment, deceleration ability may be measured based on velocityreduction relative to a given applied braking force during standarddriving conditions and the braking distance may be redetermined and/orthe equation or table recalibrated and/or compensation factors added orsubtracted based on current measured braking performance. It isunderstood that one skilled in the art may also consider other factorsas provided by the ego vehicle external sensors 1102, ego vehicleinternal sensors 1104, ego vehicle capabilities 1106, external V2Xinputs 1108, and ego vehicle motion state 1110 and this disclosure isnot limited in that respect.

In step 2320, the ego vehicle receives a second message from a secondvehicle, wherein the message comprises an identification data elementfor the second vehicle, an autonomous vehicle status data element forthe second vehicle or a braking distance data element for the secondvehicle or a combination thereof. The identification step may, in anembodiment, be utilized as a reference for further communicationdirectly with the second vehicle and for negotiations and requestsbetween the ego vehicle and the second vehicle. Similarly, when creatingspace for the ego vehicle to merge into the lane, the first vehicle andsecond vehicle may negotiate and coordinate responses to the egovehicle's request for a lane merge using an identification data element.

It is understood that the first message and the second message may, insome embodiments, be broadcast messages that may be received andutilized by nearby vehicles, while request, acknowledgement andnegotiation messages may be sent directly between the affected vehicles.Other embodiments may solely utilize broadcast messages or solelyutilize point to point message or various combinations thereof. In anembodiment, it is further recognized that the first message and thesecond message may encompass more than one message and/or multiplemessage steps and may be segmented according to various protocolssupported by the vehicles. In an embodiment, some or all point to pointrequest, acknowledgement and negotiation messages may be encrypted forprivacy between the negotiating vehicles, where the negotiating,requesting and acknowledging vehicles all have the appropriate publicand private keys. In an embodiment, the communication may be shared bymore than two vehicles, such as in the case of one vehicle merging intoa lane between two other vehicles, to increase coordination between theaffected vehicles and, in some embodiments, with the vehicles that areadjacent (for example, in front and in back) of them as well.

In step 2330, the ego vehicle determines a target space based, at leastin part, upon the size of the ego vehicle, the autonomous vehicle statusdata element for the first vehicle, the autonomous vehicle status dataelement for the second vehicle, the braking distance data element forthe first vehicle, or the braking distance data element for the secondvehicle or a combination thereof. In an embodiment, the determination ofthe target space may further be based on negotiation between theaffected vehicles and may impact the size of the target space and theplacement of the target space relative to the three vehicles. In such anembodiment, for example, if the first vehicle has no obstacles in frontof it and the second vehicle has another vehicle following it, the firstvehicle may accelerate to increase the spacing between the first vehicleand the second vehicle and the ego vehicle may appropriately accelerateor decelerate to merge into the opened target space between the firstvehicle and the second vehicle.

In step 2340, the ego vehicle sends a third message to the first vehiclerequesting the target space between the first vehicle and the secondvehicle. As discussed above, in an embodiment, the third message may bepoint to point between the ego vehicle and the first vehicle or, in anembodiment, it may be broadcast and received by both the first vehicleand the second vehicle, or it may be multicast to both the first vehicleand the second vehicle. If the request for the target space for a lanemerge is broadcast or multi-cast to both the first vehicle and thesecond vehicle at the same time, the request may utilize the thirdmessage identifying both the first vehicle and second vehicle as messagerecipients for the request, eliminating the need for the fourth messagein step 2350.

In step 2350, the ego vehicle sends a fourth message to the secondvehicle requesting the target space between the first vehicle and thesecond vehicle. As discussed above, in some embodiments, the third andthe fourth messages may be combined into a single request messagedesignating both the first vehicle and the second vehicle as recipients,in which case the fourth message need not be sent.

In step 2360, the ego vehicle receives at least one response in a fifthmessage from the first vehicle or in a sixth message from the secondvehicle or a combination thereof. The at least one response may, in anembodiment, grant permission for the ego vehicle to merge between thefirst and second vehicle. In an embodiment, the at least one responsemay specify timing and relative location between the vehicle and thefirst vehicle and/or second vehicle for the ego vehicle to initiate themerge. Additional messaging may be required to coordinate the movementand spacing between the ego vehicle and the first and/or second vehiclesduring and after the merge. In an embodiment, whereas the first andsecond vehicles may be in communication prior to and during the merge,either the first vehicle or the second vehicle or both the first andsecond vehicles may hand off communication between each other to the egovehicle during or after the merge is complete such that each vehiclemaintains communication with the vehicle immediately in front or in backof it.

In step 2370, the ego vehicle maneuvers into the target space betweenthe first and the second vehicle based upon the received at least oneresponse. In an embodiment, the ego vehicle will negotiate with thefirst vehicle and the second vehicle using appropriate messaging, todetermine the spacing between the ego vehicle and the first vehicle andthe ego vehicle and the second vehicle during and after the lane merge.In an embodiment, the ego vehicle may receive communication from thefirst vehicle or the second vehicle or from both vehicles regarding whento perform the lane change and may provide acknowledgement when the lanechange is complete. Various conditions such as poor weather conditionsor poor road conditions may be utilized to additionally affect thetarget rate or timing of the lane merge and/or the spacing between thetarget vehicles and the ego vehicle to be utilized in performing thelane merge and/or the spacing between the ego vehicle and the firstand/or second vehicle after the lane merge. In an embodiment, messaging,particularly from the front vehicle, e.g., the first vehicle, or alsofrom other surrounding vehicles, may also modify the timing of the mergedue to lane obstacles such as potholes or due to slowing traffic in thetarget lane, each of which may make it more difficult to safely mergeand/or for the first vehicle and the second vehicle to create the targetspace for the merge.

In FIG. 24, in an embodiment, an ego vehicle communicates with thevehicles in front and in back of it to request safe spacing between theego vehicle and the vehicle in front of the ego vehicle (for discussionpurposes, herein referred to as the first vehicle) and between the egovehicle and the vehicle in back of the ego vehicle (for discussionpurposes, herein referred to as the second vehicle). In an embodiment,the vehicles may be part of a platoon formation where they wouldcoordinate spacing with the rest of the platoon or, in an embodiment,the three vehicles may be traveling alone and coordinating only witheach other. In an embodiment, the communications between vehicles may besimilar between FIG. 23, supporting lane change, and FIG. 24, supportinginter-vehicular spacing, where both activities require similarmessaging, information, negotiation and responses from the current ortargeted front and rear vehicles and, in general, the discussionrelative to FIG. 23 is relevant to FIG. 24 and vice versa.

In FIG. 24, it is understood that messages may be sent and received viawireless transceiver(s) 930 and antenna(s) 932 and may be directed viaprocessor 910 and/or utilize DSP 920 and/or store data and instructionsin memory 960, as described in FIG. 9. It is also understood thatvarious sensors 945, accelerometers, gyros and magnetometers 940, camera935, LIDAR 950, and/or systems 955 and/or externally providedinformation received over wireless transceiver(s) 930 or through othermeans may be utilized in determining braking distance and other dataelements. It is further understood that various control, actions and/ormaneuvers, and the analysis utilized to determine the control, actionsand/or maneuvers, may be directed via or performed by processor 910and/or DSP 920 using data and/or instructions in memory 960, and thatprocessor 910 and/or DSP 920 using data and/or instructions in memory960 may interact with various systems 955 and/or power and drive systems975 and/or other systems, as described in FIGS. 9-11.

In FIG. 24, it is understood that the first message and the secondmessage may, in some embodiments, be broadcast messages that may bereceived and utilized by nearby vehicles, while request, acknowledgementand negotiation messages may be sent directly between the affectedvehicles. For example, the third message and the fourth message may bepoint to point messages from the ego vehicle to the first vehicle and tothe second vehicle respectively. Other embodiments may solely utilizebroadcast messages or solely utilize point to point message or variouscombinations thereof. In an embodiment, it is further recognized thatthe first message and the second message may encompass more than onemessage and/or multiple message steps and may be segmented according tovarious protocols supported by the vehicles. In an embodiment, some orall point to point request, acknowledgement and negotiation messages,such as the third and fourth messages of FIG. 24, may be encrypted forprivacy and/or security between the negotiating vehicles, where thenegotiating, requesting and acknowledging vehicles all have theappropriate public and private keys. In an embodiment, the communicationmay be shared by more than two vehicles, such as in the case of onevehicle merging into a lane between two other vehicles or in the case ofone vehicle modifying the spacing in front and in back of it, toincrease coordination between the affected vehicles and, in someembodiments, with the vehicles that are adjacent (for example, in frontand in back) of them as well. In an embodiment, the messaging betweenvehicles may be sent as basic safety messages (BSM) or cooperativeawareness messages (CAM) or by utilizing other message protocolssupported by wireless transceiver(s) 930.

In step 2410, the ego vehicle receives a first message from a firstvehicle, wherein the first message comprises an identification dataelement for the first vehicle and an autonomous vehicle status dataelement for the first vehicle or a braking distance data element for thefirst vehicle or a combination thereof. As with FIG. 23, the messagingbetween vehicles may be sent as basic safety messages (BSM) orcooperative awareness messages (CAM) or by utilizing other messageprotocols supported by wireless transceiver(s) 930. In an embodiment,the messages may be broadcast, multi-cast or point-to-point or acombination thereof. In an embodiment, information and/or statusmessages such as the first message and the second message may beimplemented as broadcast messages or as point to point messages toadjacent cars or as multicast messages to adjacent cars. Request,acknowledgement, negotiation and response messages may be point to pointbetween the affected parties or broadcast or multicast with designationsof the target vehicles; for example, here, the third message and thefourth message may be point to point between the ego vehicle and thefirst vehicle and the ego vehicle and the second vehicle respectively.The discussion of derivation of braking distance, and the relation ofbraking distance to various conditions and inputs as well as toautonomous vehicle capability, by a vehicle, is discussed above relativeto FIG. 23.

In step 2420, the ego vehicle receives a second message from a secondvehicle, wherein the second message comprises an identification dataelement for the second vehicle and an autonomous vehicle status dataelement for the second vehicle or a braking distance data element forthe second vehicle or a combination thereof. The second message may besent as a broadcast or multi-cast message, for neighboring cars toutilize, or may be sent point to point to neighboring vehicles.

In step 2430, the ego vehicle determines a first target space betweenthe ego vehicle and the first vehicle based upon the autonomous vehiclestatus data element for the first vehicle, the autonomous vehicle statusof the ego vehicle, the braking distance data element for the firstvehicle or the braking distance of the ego vehicle or a combinationthereof. It is understood that other factors may also be considered suchas road surface, water on the road, weather conditions, tire pressure,surrounding traffic and road hazards. It is understood that this list isnot comprehensive, and that further discussion is found relative to thediscussion of FIG. 23 and FIG. 11. In some embodiments, thedetermination of the first target space may be done in the ego vehicleor in the first vehicle or cooperatively between the two vehicles.

In step 2440, determine a second target space between the ego vehicleand the second vehicle based upon the autonomous vehicle status dataelement for the second vehicle, the autonomous vehicle status of the egovehicle, the braking distance data element for the second vehicle or thebraking distance of the ego vehicle or a combination thereof. As withstep 2430, it is understood that other factors may also be consideredsuch as road surface, water on the road, weather conditions, tirepressure, surrounding traffic and road hazards. It is understood thatthis list is not comprehensive, and that further discussion is foundrelative to the discussion of FIG. 23 and FIG. 11. In some embodiments,the determination of the first second target space may be done in theego vehicle or in the first vehicle or cooperatively between the twovehicles.

In step 2450, the ego vehicle sends a third message to the first vehiclerequesting the first target space between the first vehicle and the egovehicle. It is realized, however, that either adjacent vehicle couldinitiate the target space review and modification of inter-vehicularspace or both could cooperative initiate the target space review andmodification. FIG. 24 step 2450 is similar to FIG. 23 step 2340 in bothintent and content exchanged.

In step 2460, the ego vehicle sends a fourth message to the secondvehicle requesting the second target space between the first and thesecond vehicle FIG. 24 step 2460 is similar to FIG. 23 step 2350 in bothintent and content exchanged.

In step 2470, the ego vehicle receives an at least one response in afifth message from the first vehicle or in a sixth message from thesecond vehicle or a combination thereof. In an embodiment, the at leastone response will grant permission for the ego vehicle to adjustpositioning to create and/or coordinate the first target space betweenthe first vehicle and the ego vehicle or the second target space betweenthe first and the second vehicle or a combination thereof. Additionalmessaging may be required to coordinate the movement and spacing betweenthe ego vehicle and the first and/or second vehicles.

In step 2480, based upon the received at least one response, the egovehicle maneuvers, as needed, to manage the first target space betweenego vehicle and the first vehicle and the second target space betweenthe ego vehicle and the second vehicle.

In FIG. 25, in an embodiment, an ego vehicle interacts with a roadsideunit (RSU), which controls intersection access, to request and receivepermission to access the intersection. In an embodiment, if the egovehicle's determined braking distance is greater than the distancebetween the ego vehicle and the approaching intersection (i.e., thedistance between the ego vehicle and the intersection is insufficientfor the ego vehicle to stop before the intersection, given thedetermined braking distance), the RSU may grant the ego vehicleintersection access in priority over other vehicles that are able tosafely stop before the intersection. This may include priority overother vehicles that would otherwise have greater priority than the egovehicle, such as emergency vehicles (police, fire, ambulance, etc.). Ifthe ego vehicle's determined braking distance is smaller than thedistance between the ego vehicle and the approaching intersection (i.e.,the distance between the ego vehicle and the intersection is sufficientfor the ego vehicle to stop before the intersection, given thedetermined braking distance), the RSU may request that the ego vehiclestop before the intersection (i.e., the RSU does not grant intersectionaccess to the ego vehicle, instead requesting that the ego vehicle stop)so that the RSU may grant intersection access to vehicles that havegreater priority (for example, emergency vehicles such as police, fire,ambulance, etc.) than the ego vehicle or that are closer to theintersection or who cannot stop before entering the intersection orvarious combinations thereof.

In FIG. 25, it is understood that messages may be sent and received viawireless transceiver(s) 930 and antenna(s) 932 and may be directed viaprocessor 910 and/or utilize DSP 920 and/or store data and instructionsin memory 960, as described in FIG. 9. It is also understood thatvarious sensors 945, accelerometers, gyros and magnetometers 940, camera935, LIDAR 950, and/or systems 955 and/or externally providedinformation received over wireless transceiver(s) 930 or through othermeans may be utilized in determining braking distance and other dataelements. It is further understood that various control, actions and/ormaneuvers, and the analysis utilized to determine the control, actionsand/or maneuvers, may be directed via or performed by processor 910and/or DSP 920 using data and/or instructions in memory 960, and thatprocessor 910 and/or DSP 920 using data and/or instructions in memory960 may interact with various systems 955 and/or power and drive systems975 and/or other systems as described in FIGS. 9-11.

In FIG. 25, in an embodiment, an RSU may also provide, via point topoint transmission or via local wireless broadcast, information to theego vehicle such as traffic information, road obstacle information,weather information, road surface information, pedestrian warningsand/or other information related to the environment near the RSU. An RSUmay also have non-vehicular inputs such as radar, LIDAR and camerainputs that it may use to independently review traffic flow anddirection, weather conditions, road conditions (black ice, wet, etc.).An ego vehicle may consider information provided by an RSU indetermining data elements. For example, in determining braking distancefor the ego vehicle, the ego vehicle may consider weather, road surfaceand other conditions, that may be received from an RSU as data elementsvia wireless messaging, and that impact ego vehicle braking performance.

In step 2510, the ego vehicle determines its braking based uponinformation from ego vehicle external sensors, ego vehicle internalsensors, ego vehicle capabilities, or external V2X input or acombination thereof. Braking distance may be determined as previouslydiscussed relative to FIG. 23. For example, an initial value of brakingdistance may be based on a lookup table of braking distance based onvelocity. For velocity values that fall between table entries, brakingdistance may be interpolated. For example, if you have lower velocity V1associated with a braking distance B1 and a higher velocity V2associated with a braking distance B2, and a velocity V3 in between V2and V1, such that V2>V3>V1, then B3, the braking distance associatedwith velocity V3, may be expressed as (V3−V1)/(V2−V1)*(B2−B1)+B1. Inother embodiments, the velocity and braking data, having a non-linearrelationship, may be fit to a curve. Notably, stopping distanceincreases at a faster rate as velocity increases, so, in an embodiment,the velocity and braking data may be plotted to a non-linear equation orit may be conservatively simplified to a linear equation that, in anembodiment, may result in excess braking distance at lower velocities.Furthermore, the initial velocity prediction may be modified to accountfor other factors such as excess vehicular weight, road surface, weatherconditions (snow or ice on the road). In an embodiment, road or weatherconditions may be addressed by modifying the initial braking estimate toadd extra braking distance to account for weather, road surfaceirregularities, loose road surfaces (gravel, dirt or sand), ice or wateron the road and other factors that would slow braking. In an embodiment,predetermined amounts may be added to the stopping distance based oneach condition, for example, adding margin to the estimates based onconservative empirical data. In an embodiment, the table or curve may bemodified, or there may be different tables or curves, to account fordegraded stopping conditions. In an embodiment, measurements of wheelslippage such as traction control measures, all wheel drive, anti-lockbrake measurements of wheel slippage, and/or adhesion coefficient offriction (adhesion between road and tire) may be used and/or consideredwhen modifying the amount of extra braking distance added to the initialbraking distance (i.e., the nominal condition braking distance).

In step 2520, the ego vehicle sends a first message, wherein the messagecomprises an identification data element for the ego vehicle or avehicle type or a vehicle priority or a combination thereof and abraking distance data element for the ego vehicle. In some embodiments,a vehicle type may specify, in a non-limiting example, whether thevehicle is a passenger vehicle, a transport truck, or an emergencyvehicle or other vehicle type. In some embodiments, a vehicle prioritymay comprise an indication of priority, such as whether a vehicle is inan emergency, is in a time critical situation, is in a moderately timesensitive situation or in a not time sensitive situation. In someembodiments, a vehicle priority may comprise an indication of financialtransfer where the highest bidder may obtain priority in intersectionaccess over lower bidders. In some embodiments, a vehicle status maycomprise a numerical value or ordered sequence (such as 1 through 5 or Athrough F) connoting relative priority. In some embodiments, the egovehicle may also send an autonomous data element relating to whether thevehicle is operated autonomously, such that response time or otherfactors related to autonomous operation may be considered. In someembodiments, the ego vehicle may send positioning information and/orvelocity and heading information. In some embodiments, the ego vehiclemay include, in the message, other related data elements such asslippery road indicators and/or measurements of road/tire slippageand/or adhesion. In some embodiments, the ego vehicle message mayinclude data elements for surrounding traffic indications such aswhether there are vehicles in front, in back and/or on the side of theego vehicle. In some embodiments, the ego vehicle message(s) may includean emergency, status or priority flag that may be used to increase thepriority of the ego vehicle for intersection access. In someembodiments, the ego vehicle message(s) may include observational dataand/or received data from adjacent cars such as data in regard to thestatus and/or emergency status of the adjacent vehicles. The message(s)may be sent directly to the RSU, e.g., via a point to point message, orthe message may be broadcast with data elements corresponding to anidentification data for the ego vehicle and braking distance data forthe ego vehicle. As with FIG. 23, the messaging between the ego vehicleand the RSU may be sent as basic safety messages (BSM) or cooperativeawareness messages (CAM) or by utilizing other message protocolssupported by wireless transceiver(s) 930. In an embodiment, the messagesmay be broadcast, multi-cast or point-to-point or a combination thereof.In an embodiment, information and/or status messages may be implementedas broadcast messages or as point to point messages to adjacent cars oras multicast messages to adjacent cars and/or roadside units. Request,acknowledgement, negotiation and response messages may be point to pointbetween the affected parties or broadcast or multicast with designationsof the target vehicles. The discussion of derivation of brakingdistance, and the relation of braking distance to various conditions andinputs as well as to autonomous vehicle capability, by a vehicle, isalso discussed above relative to FIG. 23.

In an embodiment, the roadside unit (RSU) may automatically assume arequest for intersection access by a vehicle approaching theintersection, such as the ego vehicle. In an embodiment, the ego vehiclemay send, to the RSU, a message requesting intersection access. In someembodiments, an RSU may assume that vehicles approaching theintersection are requesting intersection access and accordingly monitorapproaching vehicle distance, velocity, stopping distance, priorityand/or other factors when determining the order of priority to grantintersection access.

In step 2530, the ego vehicle receives, from a roadside unit (RSU), asecond message comprising one or more instructions with respect tointersection access by the ego vehicle, based at least in part upon thebraking distance for the ego vehicle. In an embodiment, second messagemay comprise instructions granting or refusing permission to access theintersection, wherein the permission is based at least in part upon thebraking distance for the ego vehicle. In an embodiment, the secondmessage may specify a speed of approach to the intersection which maybe, in an embodiment, associated with a grant of permission to accessthe intersection. In an embodiment, the speed of approach may bedetermined so as to let other vehicles pass through the intersectionprior to the ego vehicle passing through the intersection. In anembodiment, the speed of approach may be determined so as to maximizetraffic flow through the intersection. In an embodiment, the secondmessage may be a broadcast signal status message. In an embodiment, thesecond message may be a point to point message. In an embodiment, if theego vehicle stopping distance exceeds the distance between the egovehicle and the intersection, the RSU may grant the ego vehicle accessto the intersection and/or increased priority for intersection access.In an embodiment, if the ego vehicle stopping distance is less than thedistance between the ego vehicle and the intersection (i.e., the egovehicle is capable of stopping, or at least slowing, before theintersection) and higher priority vehicles are requesting access to theintersection, or if vehicles that are closer to or waiting at theintersection are requesting access to the intersection, the RSU mayrefuse the ego vehicle access to the intersection and, instead, requestthe ego vehicle to stop at the intersection while providing access tothe intersection to other vehicles. In an embodiment, if the ego vehiclestopping distance is less than the distance between the ego vehicle andthe intersection (i.e., the ego vehicle is capable of stopping, or atleast slowing, before the intersection) and other vehicle types arerequesting access to the intersection, particularly if public policy orother policy dictates that particular vehicle types are favored overother vehicle types, the RSU may refuse the ego vehicle access to theintersection and, instead, request the ego vehicle to stop at theintersection, or slow its approach, while providing access to theintersection to other vehicles of other types. For example, a publicpolicy may favor transit with the fewest stops for public transitvehicles such as buses and trains or for large vehicles such as largetrucks that would use more energy starting and stopping; under such apolicy, the public transit vehicles and/or large vehicles may havepriority access to the intersection over passenger cars. Similarly, ahigh occupancy vehicle type (or status) may have priority over a lowoccupancy vehicle type (or status). In an embodiment, the second messagemay be a broadcast signal status message from the RSU or the secondmessage may be a point to point message from the RSU to the ego vehiclegranting or refusing intersection access to the ego vehicle.

In step 2540, the ego vehicle may control the intersection access by theego vehicle in response to the one or more instructions received fromthe RSU. In an embodiment, the ego vehicle may receive, in the secondmessage, instructions to access the intersection or stop prior to theintersection to wait for intersection access to be granted by the RSU,based the second message. In an embodiment, the second message maycomprise instructions from the RSU to the ego vehicle to stop orproceed, and may further comprise a request to modify vehicle speed asthe ego vehicle approaches the intersection. In an embodiment, the egovehicle may receive instructions from the RSU to slow or otherwisemodify its speed (rather than stop) prior to the intersection to allowother vehicles to pass through the intersection before the ego vehiclearrives at the intersection. In an embodiment, the ego vehicle mayreceive instructions from the RSU to accelerate to pass through theintersection prior to other vehicles. In an embodiment, the RSU may senda target speed of approach to the intersection to the ego vehicle whichmay result in the ego vehicle approaching the intersection at a speedthat is slower or faster than the current ego vehicle speed. In anembodiment, the ego vehicle may stop at a line demarcating theintersection to wait for permission to enter the intersection.

In various embodiments, an ego vehicle may be illustrated by vehicle1000 (e.g., as illustrated in FIGS. 9-11) and may be capable of locationdetermination, navigation, autonomous driving, object detection,inter-vehicle communication and/or other technologies that are utilizedin autonomous and/or semi-autonomous vehicles. In various embodimentsabove, the term vehicle and ego vehicle may be used interchangeably,wherein systems within the ego vehicle, for example, may be referred toas vehicle systems or as ego vehicle systems. For example, the termsvehicle internal sensors and vehicle external sensors relate to systemson the ego vehicle. An ego vehicle may be autonomous or may have anautonomous mode and a manual mode or may have semi-autonomous featuressuch as automated lane control (for example, where the ego vehicle isable to automatically stay in a lane or request lane change/merge intoanother lane) or is able to automatically stop or to automatically avoidroad obstacles) but may otherwise be driven manually.

In various embodiments, and as discussed above, vehicle 1000 may utilizelocation technology in combination with brake pad and brake statusmonitoring systems to estimate braking distance (and/or, in anembodiment, the efficacy of braking at different velocities), which maybe estimated at multiple velocities (as may be measured by locationsystems and/or speedometers, wheel monitors, etc.). braking distanceand/or performance versus velocity may be used to create tables ofbraking distance based on velocity and/or equations fit to the brakingdata at different velocities, which may be utilized to estimate brakingdistance. Braking distance may be regularly and periodically updatedbased upon changing input parameters including changes in velocity andlocation.

In various embodiments, and as discussed above, vehicle 1000 may utilizelocation systems to determine location which may be communicated inlocation data elements to adjacent and/or nearby vehicles. Vehicle 1000may use location in determining vehicular motion, for example, whenmerging lanes or in determining spacing between vehicles. Vehicle 1000may exchange location information with adjacent or nearby vehicles tonegotiate and coordinate motion such as lane changes and in adjustingspacing between vehicles.

In various embodiments, and as discussed above, vehicle 1000, e.g.vehicle A 1280 and vehicle B 1290, may have circuitry and processingresources capable of obtaining location related measurements (e.g. forsignals received from GPS, GNSS or other Satellite Positioning System(SPS) satellites 1210, WAN wireless transceiver 1220 or WLAN or PANlocal transceiver 1230 and possibly computing a position fix orestimated location of vehicle 1000 based on these location relatedmeasurements. In the presently illustrated example, location relatedmeasurements obtained by vehicle 1000 may include measurements ofsignals (1212) received from satellites belonging to an SPS or GlobalNavigation Satellite System (GNSS) (1210) such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileoor Beidou and/or may include measurements of signals (such as 1222and/or 1232) received from terrestrial transmitters fixed at knownlocations (e.g., such as WAN wireless transceiver 1220). Vehicle 1000 ora location server 1260 may then obtain a location estimate for vehicle1000 based on these location related measurements using any one ofseveral position methods such as, for example, GNSS, Assisted GNSS(A-GNSS), Advanced Forward Link Trilateration (AFLT), Observed TimeDifference of Arrival (OTDOA) or Enhanced Cell ID (E-CID), networktriangulation, Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) orcombinations thereof. In some of these techniques (e.g. A-GNSS, AFLT andOTDOA, RSSI), pseudoranges, ranges or timing differences may be measuredat vehicle 1000 relative to three or more terrestrial transmitters atknown locations or relative to four or more satellites with accuratelyknown orbital data, or combinations thereof, based at least in part, onpilots, positioning reference signals (PRS) or other positioning relatedsignals transmitted by the transmitters or satellites and received atvehicle 1000. Servers may provide positioning assistance data to vehicle1000 including, for example, information regarding signals to bemeasured (e.g., signal timing and/or signal strength), locations andidentities of terrestrial transmitters, and/or signal, timing andorbital information for GNSS satellites to facilitate positioningtechniques such as A-GNSS, AFLT, OTDOA and E-CID. For example, locationserver 1260 may comprise an almanac which indicates locations andidentities of wireless transceivers and/or local transceivers in aparticular region or regions such as a particular venue, and may provideinformation descriptive of signals transmitted by a cellular basestation or AP or mobile terrestrial transceiver such as transmissionpower and signal timing. In the case of E-CID, a vehicle 1000 may obtainmeasurements of signal strengths for signals received from WAN wirelesstransceiver 1220 and/or wireless local area network (WLAN) or PAN localtransceiver 1230 and/or may obtain a round trip signal propagation time(RTT) between vehicle 1000 and a WAN wireless transceiver 1220 orwireless local transceiver 1230. A vehicle 1000 may use thesemeasurements together with assistance data (e.g. terrestrial almanacdata or GNSS satellite data such as GNSS Almanac and/or GNSS Ephemerisinformation) received from a location server 1260 to determine alocation for vehicle 1000 or may transfer the measurements to a locationserver 1260 to perform the same determination.

In various embodiments, location may be determined through variousmeans, as described above. For example, in an embodiment, the vehicle1000 may determine its location with GNSS satellite signal measurements,with terrestrial transmitter signal measurements or some combinationthereof. In an embodiment, vehicle 1000 may determine its location withLIDAR, RADAR, GNSS, sensors and various combinations thereof. In anembodiment, the vehicle 1000 may determine its location usingaccelerometers and/or gyros and various sensors (wheel ticks, steeringdirection, etc.) to determine, via dead reckoning, distance anddirection traveled from the last determined position. In an embodiment,the vehicle 1000 may determine its location using a combination ofsignals and sensors; for example, a location may be determined usingvarious signal measurements from GNSS and terrestrial transmitters andthen updated using dead reckoning. From a determined location, varioussignal measurements can be taken from visible transmitters to obtain anindication of distance of the transmitter from a determined location.The indication of distance may include signal strength or round-triptime or time of arrival or other distance estimation methods. New signalmeasurements may be taken at new determined locations. By combiningindications of distance to any given transmitter taken from multiplelocations, whether by one device or by a plurality of devices, thelocation of a transmitter, such as a WAN wireless transceiver 1220 orWLAN or PAN local transceiver 1230, may be determined. The location ofthe transmitter may be determined on vehicle 1000 or on a crowd sourcingserver or on a location server 1260 or other network-based server.

A vehicle (e.g. vehicle 1000 in FIG. 2, e.g., vehicle A 1280 and vehicleB 1290) may be referred to as a device, a car, a truck, a motorcycle, aflying device such as a plane or drone, a wireless device, a mobileterminal, a terminal, a mobile station (MS), a user equipment (UE), aSUPL Enabled Terminal (SET). Typically, though not necessarily, avehicle may support wireless communication such as using V2X, GSM,WCDMA, LTE, CDMA, HRPD, Wi-Fi, BT, WiMAX, Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5thGeneration Wireless (5G) or new radio access technology (NR), V2Xcommunication protocols, etc. A vehicle may also support wirelesscommunication using a wireless LAN (WLAN), personal area network (PAN)such as Bluetooth™ or ZigBee, DSL or packet cable for example. In anembodiment, a vehicle may support transmission of basic safety messages(BSM) including various data elements, such as one delineating that therespective vehicle is autonomously driven. In an embodiment, a vehiclemay support transmission of ETSI cooperative awareness messages (CAM),for example, in an embodiment including various data elements such as adata element delineating that the respective vehicle is autonomouslydriven.

An estimate of a location of a vehicle (e.g., vehicle 1000) may bereferred to as a location, location estimate, location fix, fix,position, position estimate or position fix, and may be geographic, thusproviding location coordinates for the vehicle (e.g., latitude andlongitude) which may or may not include an altitude component (e.g.,height above sea level, height above or depth below ground level, floorlevel or basement level). Alternatively, a location of a vehicle may beexpressed as a civic location (e.g., as a postal address or thedesignation of some point or small area in a building such as aparticular room or floor). A location of a vehicle may also be expressedas an area or volume (defined either geographically or in civic form)within which the vehicle is expected to be located with some probabilityor confidence level (e.g., 67% or 95%). A location of a vehicle mayfurther be a relative location comprising, for example, a distance anddirection or relative X, Y (and Z) coordinates defined relative to someorigin at a known location which may be defined geographically or incivic terms or by reference to a point, area or volume indicated on amap, floor plan or building plan. In the description contained herein,the use of the term location may comprise any of these variants unlessindicated otherwise.

Reference throughout this specification to “one example”, “an example”,“certain examples”, “in an embodiment”, or “exemplary implementation”means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic describedin connection with the feature and/or example may be included in atleast one feature and/or example of claimed subject matter. Thus, theappearances of the phrase “in one example”, “an example”, “in certainexamples” or “in certain implementations” or “in an embodiment” or otherlike phrases in various places throughout this specification are notnecessarily all referring to the same feature, example, and/orlimitation. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, orcharacteristics may be combined or modified in one or more examplesand/or features and across various embodiments. The specifiedembodiments are not intended to be limiting relative to implementations,which may vary in detail; one skilled in the art will realize that othernon-specified embodiments may also be used with or to modify thedescribed embodiments.

Some portions of the detailed description included herein are presentedin terms of algorithms or symbolic representations of operations onbinary digital signals stored within a memory of a specific apparatus orspecial purpose computing device or platform. In the context of thisparticular specification, the term specific apparatus or the likeincludes a general-purpose computer once it is programmed to performparticular operations pursuant to instructions from program software.Algorithmic descriptions or symbolic representations are examples oftechniques used by those of ordinary skill in the signal processing orrelated arts to convey the substance of their work to others skilled inthe art. An algorithm is here, and generally, is considered to be aself-consistent sequence of operations or similar signal processingleading to a desired result. In this context, operations or processinginvolve physical manipulation of physical quantities. Typically,although not necessarily, such quantities may take the form ofelectrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred,combined, compared or otherwise manipulated. It has proven convenient attimes, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to such signalsas bits, data, values, steps, symbols, characters, terms, numbers,numerals, or the like. It should be understood, however, that all ofthese or similar terms are to be associated with appropriate physicalquantities and are merely convenient labels. Unless specifically statedotherwise, as apparent from the discussion herein, it is appreciatedthat throughout this specification discussions utilizing terms such as“processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining” or the likerefer to actions or processes of a specific apparatus, such as a specialpurpose computer, special purpose computing apparatus or a similarspecial purpose electronic computing device. In the context of thisspecification, therefore, a special purpose computer or a similarspecial purpose electronic computing device is capable of manipulatingor transforming signals, typically represented as physical electronic ormagnetic quantities within memories, registers, or other informationstorage devices, transmission devices, or display devices of the specialpurpose computer or similar special purpose electronic computing device.

Wireless communication techniques described herein may be in connectionwith various wireless communications networks such as a wireless widearea network (“WAN”), a wireless local area network (“WLAN”), a wirelesspersonal area network (PAN), and so on. The term “network” and “system”may be used interchangeably herein. A WAN may be a Code DivisionMultiple Access (“CDMA”) network, a Time Division Multiple Access(“TDMA”) network, a Frequency Division Multiple Access (“FDMA”) network,an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (“OFDMA”) network, aSingle-Carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access (“SC-FDMA”) network,Long Term Evolution (“LTE”), Fifth Generation (“5G”) or any combinationof the above networks, and so on. A CDMA network may implement one ormore radio access technologies (“RATs”) such as cdma2000, Wideband-CDMA(“W-CDMA”), to name just a few radio technologies. Here, cdma2000 mayinclude technologies implemented according to IS-95, IS-2000, and IS-856standards. A TDMA network may implement Global System for MobileCommunications (“GSM”), Digital Advanced Mobile Phone System (“D-AMPS”),or some other RAT. GSM and W-CDMA are described in documents from aconsortium named “3rd Generation Partnership Project” (“3GPP”). CDMA2000is described in documents from a consortium named “3rd GenerationPartnership Project 2” (“3GPP2”). 3GPP and 3GPP2 documents are publiclyavailable. 4G Long Term Evolution (“LTE”) communications networks mayalso be implemented in accordance with claimed subject matter, in anaspect. A WLAN may comprise an IEEE 802.11x network, and a PAN maycomprise a Bluetooth network, an IEEE 802.15x, comprising a Zigbeenetwork, for example. Wireless communication implementations describedherein may also be used in connection with any combination of WAN, WLANor PAN.

In another aspect, as previously mentioned, a wireless transmitter oraccess point may comprise a wireless transceiver device, utilized toextend cellular telephone service into a business or home or vehicle. Insuch an implementation, one or more vehicles may communicate with awireless transceiver device via a code division multiple access (“CDMA”)cellular communication protocol, for example.

Techniques described herein may be used with a satellite positioningsystem (“SPS”) that includes any one of several global navigationsatellite systems (“GNSS” such as the Global Positioning system “GPS”,the Russian GLONASS system and the European Union's Gallileo system andthe Chinese BeiDou and BeiDou-2 systems) and/or combinations of GNSS.Furthermore, such techniques may be used with positioning systems thatutilize terrestrial transmitters acting as “pseudolites”, or acombination of SVs and such terrestrial transmitters. Terrestrialtransmitters may, for example, include ground-based transmitters thatbroadcast a PN code or other ranging code (e.g., similar to a GPS orCDMA cellular signal). Such a transmitter may be assigned a unique PNcode so as to permit identification by a remote receiver. Terrestrialtransmitters may be useful, for example, to augment an SPS in situationswhere SPS signals from an orbiting SV might be unavailable, such as intunnels, mines, buildings, urban canyons or other enclosed areas.Another implementation of pseudolites is known as radio-beacons. Theterm “SV”, as used herein, is intended to include terrestrialtransmitters acting as pseudolites, equivalents of pseudolites, andpossibly others. The terms “SPS signals” and/or “SV signals”, as usedherein, is intended to include SPS-like signals from terrestrialtransmitters, including terrestrial transmitters acting as pseudolitesor equivalents of pseudolites.

In the preceding detailed description, numerous specific details havebeen set forth to provide a thorough understanding of claimed subjectmatter. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatclaimed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details.In other instances, methods and apparatuses that would be known by oneof ordinary skill have not been described in detail so as not to obscureclaimed subject matter.

The terms, “and”, “or”, and “and/or” as used herein may include avariety of meanings that also are expected to depend at least in partupon the context in which such terms are used. Typically, “or” if usedto associate a list, such as A, B or C, is intended to mean A, B, and C,here used in the inclusive sense, as well as A, B or C, here used in theexclusive sense. In addition, the term “one or more” as used herein maybe used to describe any feature, structure, or characteristic in thesingular or may be used to describe a plurality or some othercombination of features, structures or characteristics. Though, itshould be noted that this is merely an illustrative example and claimedsubject matter is not limited to this example.

While there has been illustrated and described what are presentlyconsidered to be example features, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various other modifications may be made, andequivalents may be substituted, without departing from claimed subjectmatter. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt aparticular situation to the teachings of claimed subject matter withoutdeparting from the central concept described herein.

Therefore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to the examplesdisclosed; such claimed subject matter may also include all aspectsfalling within the scope of the claims, and equivalents thereof.

For an implementation involving firmware and/or software, themethodologies may be implemented with modules (e.g., procedures,functions, and so on) that perform the functions described herein. Anymachine-readable medium tangibly embodying instructions may be used inimplementing the methodologies described herein. For example, softwarecodes may be stored in a memory and executed by a processor unit. Memorymay be implemented within the processor unit or external to theprocessor unit. As used herein the term “memory” refers to any type oflong term, short term, volatile, nonvolatile, or other memory and is notto be limited to any particular type of memory or number of memories, ortype of media upon which memory is stored.

If implemented in firmware and/or software, the functions may be storedas one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable storagemedium. Examples include computer-readable media encoded with a datastructure and computer-readable media encoded with a computer program.Computer-readable media includes physical computer storage media. Astorage medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by acomputer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readablemedia can comprise RAM, ROM, FLASH, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical diskstorage, magnetic disk storage, semiconductor storage, or other storagedevices, or any other medium that can be used to store desired programcode in the form of instructions or data structures and that can beaccessed by a computer; disk and disc, as used herein, includes compactdisc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD),floppy disk and Blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce datamagnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers.Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope ofcomputer-readable media.

In addition to storage on computer-readable storage medium, instructionsand/or data may be provided as signals on transmission media included ina communication apparatus. For example, a communication apparatus mayinclude a transceiver having signals indicative of instructions anddata. The instructions and data are configured to cause one or moreprocessors to implement the functions outlined in the claims. That is,the communication apparatus includes transmission media with signalsindicative of information to perform disclosed functions. At a firsttime, the transmission media included in the communication apparatus mayinclude a first portion of the information to perform the disclosedfunctions, while at a second time the transmission media included in thecommunication apparatus may include a second portion of the informationto perform the disclosed functions.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of intersection access by an egovehicle, comprising: determining, by the ego vehicle, a braking distancefor the ego vehicle based upon vehicle external sensors, vehicleinternal sensors, vehicle capabilities, or external V2X input, or acombination thereof, wherein the braking distance for the ego vehicle isdetermined based, at least in part, by velocity of the ego vehicle, andby tire pressure for the ego vehicle or tire traction data or acombination thereof; sending, from the ego vehicle to a roadside unit(RSU), a first message, wherein the first message comprises anidentification data element for the ego vehicle, a vehicle priority, anda braking distance data element for the ego vehicle; receiving, from theRSU, at the ego vehicle, a second message comprising one or moreinstructions with respect to intersection access by the ego vehicle,based at least in part upon the braking distance for the ego vehicle;and controlling the intersection access by the ego vehicle in responseto the one or more instructions received from the RSU.
 2. The method ofintersection access of claim 1, further comprising sending, by the egovehicle, a third message, prior to the second message, from the egovehicle to the RSU, requesting intersection access.
 3. The method ofintersection access of claim 1, wherein the braking distance for the egovehicle is shorter in autonomous mode than in manual mode.
 4. The methodof intersection access of claim 1, wherein the first message is abroadcast message.
 5. The method of intersection access of claim 1,wherein the first message is a point-to-point message.
 6. The method ofintersection access of claim 1, wherein the first message is a BasicSafety Message or a Cooperative Awareness Message.
 7. An ego vehicle,comprising: one or more wireless transceivers; vehicle internal sensors;vehicle external sensors; a memory; and one or more processors,communicatively coupled to the one or more wireless transceivers, thevehicle internal sensors, the vehicle external sensors, and the memory;wherein the one or more processors are configured to: determine, by theego vehicle, a braking distance for the ego vehicle based upon thevehicle external sensors, the vehicle internal sensors, vehiclecapabilities, or external V2X input or a combination thereof, whereinthe braking distance for the ego vehicle is determined based, at leastin part, by velocity of the ego vehicle, and by tire pressure for theego vehicle or tire traction data or a combination thereof; send, fromthe one or more wireless transceivers to a roadside unit (RSU), a firstmessage, wherein the first message comprises an identification dataelement for the ego vehicle, a vehicle priority, and a braking distancedata element for the ego vehicle; receive, from the RSU, at the egovehicle, using the one or more wireless transceivers, a second message,comprising one or more instructions with respect to intersection accessby the ego vehicle, based at least in part upon the braking distance forthe ego vehicle; and controlling the intersection access by the egovehicle in response to the one or more instructions received from theRSU.
 8. The ego vehicle of claim 7, wherein the one or more processorsare further configured to send a third message, prior to the secondmessage, from the one or more wireless transceivers to the RSU,requesting intersection access.
 9. The ego vehicle of claim 7, whereinthe braking distance for the ego vehicle is shorter in autonomous modethan in manual mode.
 10. The ego vehicle of claim 7, wherein the firstmessage is a broadcast message.
 11. The ego vehicle of claim 7, whereinthe first message is a point-to- point message.
 12. The ego vehicle ofclaim 7, wherein the first message is a Basic Safety Message or aCooperative Awareness Message.
 13. An ego vehicle, comprising: means fordetermining, by the ego vehicle, a braking distance for the ego vehiclebased upon vehicle external sensors, vehicle internal sensors, vehiclecapabilities, or external V2X input, or a combination thereof, whereinthe braking distance for the ego vehicle is determined based, at leastin part, by velocity of the ego vehicle, and by tire pressure for theego vehicle or tire traction data or a combination thereof; means forsending, from the ego vehicle to a roadside unit (RSU), a first message,wherein the first message comprises an identification data element forthe ego vehicle, a vehicle priority, and a braking distance data elementfor the ego vehicle; means for receiving, from the RSU at the egovehicle, a second message comprising one or more instructions withrespect to intersection access by the ego vehicle, based at least inpart upon the braking distance for the ego vehicle; and means forcontrolling the intersection access by the ego vehicle in response tothe one or more instructions received from the RSU.
 14. The ego vehicleof claim 13, further comprising means for sending, by the ego vehicle, athird message, prior to the second message, from the ego vehicle to theRSU, requesting intersection access.
 15. The ego vehicle of claim 13,wherein the first message is a broadcast message.
 16. The ego vehicle ofclaim 13, wherein the first message is a point-to- point message. 17.The ego vehicle of claim 13, wherein the first message is a Basic SafetyMessage or a Cooperative Awareness Message.
 18. A non-transitorycomputer-readable medium, having stored thereon computer-readableinstructions to cause one or more processors on an ego vehicle to:determine, by the ego vehicle, a braking distance for the ego vehiclebased upon vehicle external sensors, vehicle internal sensors, vehiclecapabilities, or external V2X input, or a combination thereof, whereinthe braking distance for the ego vehicle is determined based, at leastin part, by velocity of the ego vehicle, and by tire pressure for theego vehicle or tire traction data or a combination thereof; send, fromthe ego vehicle to a roadside unit (RSU), a first message, wherein thefirst message comprises an identification data element for the egovehicle, a vehicle priority, and a braking distance data element for theego vehicle; receive, from the RSU, at the ego vehicle, a second messagecomprising one or more instructions with respect to intersection accessby the ego vehicle, based at least in part upon the braking distance forthe ego vehicle; and control the intersection access by the ego vehiclein response to the one or more instructions received from the RSU. 19.The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, furthercomprising instructions to cause the one or more processors to send athird message, prior to the second message, to the RSU, requestingintersection access.
 20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium ofclaim 18, wherein the first message is a broadcast message.
 21. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the firstmessage is a point-to-point message.
 22. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first message is aBasic Safety Message or a Cooperative Awareness Message.